Falling Star
by EvilRegal94
Summary: This is the story of Regina's daughter, Mandy. Daniel's daughter who she thought died when she was a few hours old, only to find out that she is alive. She soon realizes that her daughter has magic and that she was destined for something great when she was born. (Like Emma being the Savior.)
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there! This is my first fan fiction so reviews are welcome because I would like to know what you all think! I do not own anything.  
**

Takes place after episode 2x12 "In the Name of the Brother"

Chapter 1

Cora and Regina are just walking in the house after their little mother/daughter moment in Regina's car. Cora walked up the stairs in the foyer while Regina shut the door behind her. Cora slowly turned around to face her daughter. She knew Regina was feeling so many emotions right now and Cora didn't know how to comfort her because they hadn't exactly parted on good terms.

"Regina, we will get Henry back. Don't worry." Were the only words she could find at the moment that would possibly make Regina a little less worried. Regina couldn't help but give a weak smile. She wasn't exactly thrilled to have her mother back in her life after everything she did to her when she was growing up. She wanted to believe her mother after she told her she was going to try to be better and be worthy of her but she just couldn't let herself fully believe or trust her mother.

"It's been a hectic day. Where can I sleep?" Cora said expecting to get her own room.

"Upstairs, third door on your right." Regina replied as she turned to face the mirror.

"Goodnight, dear." Was all Cora said before she turned to walk up to her room.

Regina watched her climb the stairs in the mirror. She couldn't believe she was allowing her mother to stay in her house. When Cora disappeared out of view, she held the ring Daniel gave her and couldn't help but think about the life she would've had with him. She knew she would've been happy with him and that he would've been a great father. But she knew that life was never meant to be. She missed Daniel so much and she couldn't help but shed a tear in his remembrance. She felt so much pain between losing Daniel, his baby, and now Henry. She just wanted her life to turn out the way she hoped it would-this was not it.

* * *

The Next Day

Emma was eating a bowl of cereal while Snow and David were looking at her from across the counter. She was in mid-bite when she noticed they were staring at her.

"Do I have a milk mustache or something?" She said with a confused look on her face about why these two were staring at her.

"No. It's just that we are all finally together without something breaking us apart. We finally get to be a family." Snow said with a smile on her face. She was so happy to be with her daughter in a peaceful setting. Any little thing Emma did, Snow couldn't help but beam with excitement.

"Right, the family thing." She flashed Snow a smile before continuing. "I like hanging out with you two but you gotta cut out this creepy staring. It's getting too weird for me." She said trying to put it lightly so she wouldn't hurt their feelings.

"It is creepy, isn't it?" Snow couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha lil bit." Emma took another bite of her cereal and remembered she had to ask David a question. "Oh, David. Will you drop Henry off at school before going to the station? I have to stop by Gold's before work."

"I don't want you going there alone. I'll come with you." David said grabbing his coat off the coat rack.

"David, it's fine. I've been taking care of myself basically my whole life. I think I can manage a simple meeting with Gold. "She said as she was putting her bowl in the sink.

As she turned back around she noticed Snow and David put their heads down. Emma realized she hurt them, yet again. She didn't mean to hurt them but her words just come out before fully thinking things through. That was one of her flaws.

She quickly tried to make up for it by saying, "I didn't mean it like that.." Before Emma could finish what she was saying, Snow cut her off. "We know, Emma. We just wish we could've been there." Flashing a weak smile to her daughter to make her feel better. "What's the meeting with Gold about?" David said breaking the awkward silence that was in the room.

"I dunno. Should be interesting. It usual is with Gold."

"Just be careful Emma!" Snow said with a worried look on her face.

"I will. Promise!" She said to Snow before turning to David. "Will you take Henry then?" She ask as she was putting on her jacket.

"Yea, I'll take him."

"Henry, David is taking you to school today. I gotta run!" Emma screamed up the stairs before saying her goodbyes and leaving.

Henry came running down the stairs hoping to catch Emma before she left. "Whoa there, buddy. Easy on the stairs." David said as he put a hand in front of Henry to slow him down.

"Did Emma leave yet?" He asked as he was trying to get up onto the stool.

"You just missed her!" said Snow as she was cleaning up the counter. "Anything we can help you with?"

"I wanted to ask her if she could teach me how to ride a horse." Henry said in a disappointed tone.

"I'm surprised Regina didn't teach you." Said David.

Henry was shocked. "My mom rides horses?" He couldn't picture Regina on a horse, let alone riding one.

"She used to. I suppose it's too painful for her to go to the stables now." Said Snow with a sad look on her face. She felt so bad about the circumstances that surrounded Daniel's death. She couldn't help but feel responsible, at least partially.

"Why? Did she have a riding accident? Asked Henry with concern for Regina. Snow and David exchanged worried glances before Snow answered.

"Let's just say she had a bad experience at the stables and leave it at that." Snow didn't want to disclose any information about Regina's past to Henry because it wasn't really her place to tell him, it was Regina's. "Besides, I don't think Emma even knows how to ride a horse."

"I could teach you if you want." David said with a smile on his face.

"Great! Can we go right now?! Henry said showing his excitement.

David couldn't help but laugh at the boy's response. "I have work and you have school kid, but afterwards.

"Alright, I guess I can wait till then."

"Go get your stuff Henry. You're going to be late." Snow said. And with that, Henry ran off to get his things leaving Snow and Charming to talk.

"You better check with Emma to see if it's okay to teach him to ride a horse." Snow said walking over to David.

"But he is our grandson. We should be able to teach him things without always asking for Emma's permission." Said David getting a little angry.

Snow pulled David closer to her, trying to keep him calm. "I know David, but things are still a little unsettled so we need to take things slow for a little while longer."

"Fine, but only for a little while." He said before pulling her in for a kiss. Henry came down the stairs all ready to go. David let go of Snow, they said their goodbyes and left.

* * *

Gold was in the back of his shop polishing some jewelry when he heard the bell to the front door go off. He headed to the front of the store to find Emma had just come through the front door.

"Miss Swan, I've been expecting you." He said walking behind the counter.

"Did you see me coming in your crystal ball?" Emma said as she began walking toward him.

"I beg your pardon?" He said with a confused look on his face.

"Never mind. Why did you want me to come by?" Emma asked impatiently.

"I need you to do something for me."

"Like what?"

"I need you to go to New York to help me find my son." Gold said.

"You have a son?" Emma asked with a shocked look on her face.

"That's not the point dearie." Gold replied.

"Look, Gold. I can't just up and leave. I have a job and a kid and…" Gold cut her off before she could finish.

"Miss Swan, you do remember the deal we made, don't you?" He asked knowing the answer already.

"Yea, but.." Emma couldn't finish her sentences without Gold interrupting. "You owe me a favor, and now it's time for you to repay it."

Emma rolled her eyes before agreeing to Gold's request. "Fine, but how am I going to know what he looks like?"

He simply replied, "I'll explain everything before you leave tomorrow."

"TOMORROW!?" she asked, not expecting to leave so soon.

"Yes dearie, tomorrow. Is that a problem?"

"I don't have a choice do I?" She asked already knowing the answer to her question.

"Not really."

"And what happens when he doesn't want to come back with me." Emma asked putting her hands on the glass counter top, leaning closer to Gold.

"You're a smart girl, you'll figure something out." He leaned on the counter top closer to Emma. "But do not return without my son. I don't care how long it takes, you will get him back here!" He was now so close to Emma she could feel his breath on her face.

Emma didn't say another word but she made it known to Gold that she was pissed before she left his shop. She didn't feel like going to New York nor did she feel like finding a needle in a hay stack but she made a deal and she knew she had to follow through, even if she didn't want too.

* * *

Henry came running through the door after school. He was so happy he was about to learn how to horseback ride that he couldn't contain his excitement.

"Where's David? Is he ready?!" Henry asked out of breath from running.

"David got caught up at the station. He told me to tell you that he was sorry and that he would take you over the weekend." Snow said trying to let Henry down easy not wanting to upset him. Henry put his head down in disappointment.

"I know how much you wanted to learn. I would teach you myself, but I have to go to Granny's. They need an extra hand down there. Will you be okay here by yourself?" Snow asked hoping he wouldn't be too upset about not going horseback riding.

"Some kids are hanging out at the playground. I think I might head there." Henry said not wanting to stay in an empty house with nothing to do. He had homework but didn't feel like doing that.

"Oh that's great! Sounds like fun. Would you like me to drop you off?" Snow asked as she was putting on her coat.

"Nah, I can use the exercise." Henry said flashing her a smile. Snow returned the smile before saying her goodbyes. As soon as Snow said David couldn't make it, he had formulated a plan in his head. He was going to head down to the stables and teach himself how to ride.

* * *

David was filling out paperwork when he heard Emma come in.

"Well I made it back in one piece." Emma said as she entered the room.

"Not funny, Emma!" David said giving her a stern look. "What did Gold want?"

"He wants me to go to NYC to find his son." Emma said as she sat down in the chair across from David.

"He has a son?" Asked David with a surprised look on his face.

"My thoughts exactly!" exclaimed Emma.

"Why do _you_ have to go find him?" a confused David asked.

"I'm the only one that can cross the town line. Not to mention I owe him a favor. I leave tomorrow."

"That's awfully soon!"

"Yea, I'm not to thrilled about it either."

"Just be careful!"

Emma shot David a look. "I know, I know. I'm being the over-protective Dad, but someone's gotta do it." Said David still trying to be a parent to Emma without over doing it. Emma couldn't help but smile. She knew he was trying.

David suddenly remembered what Snow said about horseback riding so he decided to ask Emma before she left for NYC. "Would you mind if I teach Henry how to ride a horse while your away? He asked earlier."

"Nope, sounds good. Just make sure he's careful." David nodded and continued filling out his paperwork.

* * *

Henry arrived at the stables rather quickly. It took him about a half an hour on his bike. The stable owner helped him tack up his horse but that's all he was willing to do for the kid. Henry led the horse out to the field where he mounted the horse.

"Okay, I got this!" He said to himself as he sat on top of the horse. He was determined to get this horse riding thing down.

Henry wanted to get the horse moving so he pulled back on the reins thinking this would get the horse moving forward. He was wrong. The horse let out a 'neigh' and stood up on its hind legs. Henry was frightened. He couldn't hold on anymore and began falling backwards towards the ground. He closed his eyes bracing for impact. He felt like he'd been falling for a while when he finally opened his eyes to realize he was hovering in mid-air. He was confused and began looking around for an explanation.

"Mom?" He screamed out.

A young girl, about 15, came into view. She was responsible for saving Henry.

"Do I look like a mother to you?" the girl asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were my mom. She is the only one I know with magic other than Gold and Cora." Said Henry.

"You should never assume anything." Henry just stared at the girl until he realized he was still in the air.

"Could you put me down now?" he asked. He was only a foot off the ground when he found himself hitting the ground with a thud.

"Ow! I meant gently." Henry said rubbing is head.

"You didn't specify how you wanted to be put down."

"It was implied."

"You only assumed it was. You should really stop doing that." The girl said as she walked over to Henry. She held out her hand to help him up. Henry grabbed her hand and got to his feet.

"Thanks for saving me! I'm Henry."

"No problem. Just don't get used to it." She let a little laugh slip out and the end her sentence.

Her laugh reminded Henry of someone, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It wasn't just her laugh that seemed familiar to him, it was the girl herself. She was a tiny girl, about 5,0", long, dark, wavy hair. She was wearing black boots, red jeans and a black pea coat.

She was curious about this kid. "What are you doing out here by yourself anyway? You're like 9 and you clearly don't know how to ride a horse."

"I'm 11." He said. "And no one would teach me how to ride a horse so I decided to teach myself. Don't tell anyone I was here. I'll get in trouble."

"I won't say anything as long as you don't tell anyone about me having magic. Deal?" the girl asked hoping he would agree.

"Deal! But why don't you want people to know you have magic?" He didn't understand why someone with magic didn't want anyone to know they had it.

"I…I just…It's complicated." She didn't feel like explaining herself to a complete stranger and she didn't exactly trust this kid yet.

"I got time." He said hoping she would tell him her story.

She had other things to do then to tell this kid her life story. "Well I don't kid, but I'll tell you some other time. I gotta go."

"Well can we meet tomorrow? Same time, here?" He asked.

"Sounds great. C ya tomorrow!" She turned and started to run towards the woods when Henry screamed something to her.

"Wait! You never told me your name." He yelled.

She stopped and turned, screaming her name to him.

"It's Mandy!" she screamed and began running again. Henry watched, with a smile on his face, until she was out of sight! He had made a new friend. Sorta.

**Please tell me what you all think. I would love some feedback.**


	2. Chapter 2 Getting to Know You

**Hope you enjoy! I do not own anything except for my character, Mandy.**

Chapter 2: Getting to know you

_The Next Day_

Emma was gathering the last minute things she wanted to take with her to NYC. Henry was eating a bowl of cereal, while Snow was cleaning up the kitchen.

"Do you really have to leave?" Asked Henry not wanting Emma to leave.

"I'll be back soon kid. Don't worry; you're not going to get rid of me that easily." Emma said and she ruffled his hair. Both Henry and Snow smiled at her, leaving Emma feeling satisfied that she comforted them in a way.

"Do you have everything?" Asked Snow.

"Yea, I think so. Give me a hug kid." Emma said with her arms out wide waiting for her hug from Henry. Henry jumped off the stool and gave her a hug.

"See you soon." Said Henry letting Emma out of the hug.

"Please be good for Mary Margaret and David." Emma said knowing Henry can get himself into trouble sometimes.

"I will!" He said running up the stairs to get his things for school. Emma was watching him go up the stairs when she was suddenly tackled by Snow who was giving her a bear hug.

"Whoa! I'm only going to be gone for a few days." She said returning Snow's hug.

"I know, I know. I just can't bear the thought of spending any more time without you." Snow said. Emma flashed her a smile. She didn't know what else to do so she gave her mother another hug.

"I almost forgot!" Snow said letting go of Emma and heading to the fridge. Emma gave her a puzzled look when Snow handed her something wrapped in tin foil.

"It's a pie for your journey…Don't worry, it's not apple!" Snow said and began to laugh at her little joke. Emma couldn't help but join in on her laughter. Seeing her daughter laugh filled Snow's heart with joy. She missed so much of her daughter's growing up; she couldn't help but revel in her daughter's laughter.

David came down the stairs, followed by Henry with his school bag.

"Have a safe trip." David said as he hugged his daughter. Emma was getting sick of all these hugs but she knew it was something _families_ did so she was going to have to grow to like them.

She returned his hug and said, "I will. You're taking Henry to school right?"

"Snow and I have things under control. You don't have to worry about anything on out end." David said reassuring Emma that they are capable of taking care of Henry.

"Okay, well I better get to Gold's so he can give me the 411 on this kid of his. See you all later!" She said before she left. She couldn't wait to get this stupid trip over with.

* * *

Regina was sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee and reading the paper when a puff of purple smoke appeared followed by Cora. This startled Regina, resulting in her spilling her coffee all over the table and herself.

"Ugh, really? Must you use magic mother?!" Regina said angrily.

"I'm sorry, how else would you like me to do everything in the strange world?" Cora said flatly.

"Well walking is the same in every world. You don't have to pop in and out all the time."

Cora shot her a look like 'That's never going to happen'.

Regina continued ignoring her mother's glare. "And you could learn how to use things in this world, like the oven or microwave, instead of using magic to make yourself something to eat."

"These appliances are strange and I don't have time to learn how to use them nor do I want too."

"Never mind. You'd probably blow something up if you tried using the appliances." Regina said rolling her eyes. Her mother was driving her crazy and it was only the third day since she met up with Cora.

"You need to change out of those clothes, dear. You're all wet." Cora said.

"Yea, thanks to you. I was just heading up to change."

Before she could take a step, Regina found herself engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. Magic. When the smoke dissipated, Regina was wearing a dress she would've worn when she was 18 back in FTL.

Cora looked her over, nodding her head in approval. "You look wonderful, Regina!"

"Mother! I can't wear this! I look like I'm going to a prom."

"A what?"

"Never mind. People don't wear these outfits here. You need to change as well."

"But I like my clothes." Cora whined.

"Too bad. My house, my rules." Regina said with a smirk on her face. Cora gave a little smile in return.

"Fine. I'll play along dear." Another cloud of smoke engulfed the pair and both were now dressed in black paints and blouses. Regina's red and Cora's purple.

"Better?" Cora asked.

"Much!"

"Now what?" asked Cora not knowing what to do now.

"How about you tell me your plan to get Henry back." Said Regina not wanting to show her mother how eager she was to hear this plan of hers.

"Well it involved Rumplestiltskin…"

"No way! I am not involving him in anything I do. He's just bad news and I do not want to owe him anymore favors."

"If we have his knife then you won't have to…" Cora said holding Regina's hands in hers.

"No one knows where it is." Regina said hopelessly.

"Then we will have to find it. That will be the first thing we do."

"..and once we find it?" Regina asked curiously.

"Let's handle phase one before we get ahead of ourselves." Cora turned and began to walk out of the kitchen.

"What are you planning mother?!" Regina said wanting to know the rest of her plan.

"You'll see." She replied continuing to walk out of the kitchen, Regina eying her the whole time.

* * *

Emma pulled up to Gold's shop. She wanted to get in and out fast so she could be on her way. She got out of the car and began walking towards Gold's shop when she noticed Gold coming out with a suitcase.

"What's going on?" Emma asked with a confused look on her face.

"I'm coming with you." He said.

"What?! No you can't!" She said realizing she actually said that out loud. "I mean…you can't cross the line or you'll forget everything."

"That's where you're wrong, dearie."

Emma shot him a confused look. She didn't want to go on this trip in the first place, let alone be accompanied by Gold.

"What are you talking about?" She said finally.

"I created a potion last night that will allow me to cross the town line unscathed if I am wearing this scarf."

"Great, so you can go yourself. You don't need me." She said beginning to walk back to her car.

"Wrong again." Emma stopped and turned around to face Gold.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"You're the only one who can truly convince Bae to come back with us."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the Sav.." Emma cut him off before he could finish.

"The Savior….I'm getting tired of this 'Savior' crap."

"Like it or not, that's what you are."

"Don't remind me. Get in and you can explain everything on the way." Emma and Gold both got into the car and Emma pulled out. The 'You are now leaving Storybrooke' sign came into view. Emma stopped a few feet from the line.

"Ready?" She asked.

He put the scarf around his neck. "Let's go!"

Emma stepped on the gas and they soon passed over the town line. A flash of magic wished across their faces, blowing their hair back in the process.

"Do you remember who you are?" Emma asked with a concern look on her face. That's all she needed right now was for him not to remember anything.

:I remember everything. Drive on." He said rather confidently. He hid the fact that he wasn't feeling 100% like himself.

Emma had a feeling this was going to be a long trip. A really long trip.

* * *

Henry went to the stables right after school that day. He couldn't wait to see Mandy again. He told Snow he was going to hangout with some kids from school at the playground. When he got there, he looked around to see if she arrived yet. She did. She was sitting on a blanket in the middle of the field. She waved to him; he waved back before walking over to join her on the blanket.

"Hey!" Henry said before sitting down.

"Hey Henry, how was school?" She asked.

"Boring, as usual. How about you?"

"Oh, I didn't go to school today. I only go when I feel like it."

"What do your parents say?"

"I don't have parents. I live in the orphanage, well used too. I go back and forth between there and our house in the woods."

"A house in the woods! Can I see?"

"You ask a lot of questions, kid. But I suppose I can show you around sometime."

"Awesome! Can't wait." He said trying to contain his excitement. He then asked yet another question. "What's in the basket?"

"Oh, I almost forgot." She said as she put the basket in front of Henry. "I thought we could have a little picnic while we got to know each other better."

"Cool, what do you have?" He asked. Mandy laid out everything she had brought. She packed a lot of food because she didn't know what Henry liked. He chose a ham and cheese sandwich, while she had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

He took a bite of his sandwich and gave her a thumbs up. "This is really good."

"I'm glad you like it." She said taking a bite of her own.

"What's your last name?"

"What?" Mandy asked giving him a weird look. She was caught off guard by the question.

"People's names have a meaning here that give clues to what they were before the curse." He said confidently.

"It's Vega. Mandy Vega."

"Vega, got it!" He said knowing he would remember. "So are you going to tell me why you don't want to use magic?"

"You don't forget anything, do you Henry?" She asked knowing this kid was smart.

"Nope, so go on with your story." He said taking the last bite of his sandwich.

"Well I don't use magic a lot. I only use it when it's absolutely necessary. Like saving you yesterday." She said giving him an example.

"Why don't you use magic more often though? You use your powers for good." He asked more curious than ever. She knew he wouldn't understand the price that comes with using magic but she would try to explain it to him as best she could. She looked away from Henry, hiding her face from the boy. She didn't want him to see the hurt look on her face. She hadn't always used her powers for good, but she wanted to be a good role model and friend to Henry. She looked back to Henry forcing a smile before answering.

"I suppose you already heard this but…all magic comes with a price…..even good magic."

"Good people shouldn't have to pay." He said.

"All good people have been bad _sometime _in their lives. Some just take a little longer to come back from the dark side." She replied trying to get Henry to understand.

"I suppose you're right." He said agreeing with her answer. "So you don't want people to know you have magic because you're trying to quit?"

"That _and_ I don't want people to like or hate me just because I have magic. Not to mention the fact that magic can corrupt even the purist of hearts and turn it into something so dark, so twisted that it is hard to come back from." She said knowing all too well what magic can do to a person.

"That sounds like my mom." He said putting his head down in disappointment. He knew Regina wasn't all evil. He remembered times where she was the nicest person in the world. He was happy with Emma, Snow and David, but there were time where he really missed Regina.

"Emma? I thought she was good?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"No, my other mom. Regina." He replied with a sad look on his face.

"Oh right! How could I forget you were the Mayor's kid."

"Yea….she's evil." He said flatly.

"Do you truly believe that or are you just saying that because of her recent actions." She asked seriously. Henry turned to face Mandy, locking eyes with her. She could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Well from what I've heard about her…it hasn't been good."

"Sounds like you don't have the whole story." She said as she was shifting her position. She was now lying on her side talking to Henry. "I'm sure there was a time in her life where she was kind and happy without a single hint of darkness."

"Maybe." He said hoping she was right. "She is trying to redeem herself for me. She wants to prove she can change."

"She's changing because she loves you, Henry. Have you seen or talked to her since Emma and Snow came back?"

"Not really. When I was told she killed Archie, I thought she went back to her old ways. But it turns out she didn't kill him. It was Cora." He said feeling guilty he didn't tell Regina he knew she was innocent.

"Who's Cora?" She asked. It was the second time he mentioned her name. The first being when he mentioned her having magic and she was curious to know who this woman was.

"Regina's mom. She's evil." He said.

She rolled her eyes at the mention of Cora being evil. She was getting a little tired of how this kid thought everyone and their mom were evil. "I don't think anyone is evil, Henry. Just misunderstood. I think you should pay Regina a visit, even if it's just for 5 minutes."

"I don't think Snow and David will let me." He said remembering his promise to Emma about being good for Snow and David.

"Isn't it up to Emma?" She asked confused as to why he mentioned Snow and David.

"She had to go out of town to complete a favor for Mr. Gold." He said. The sudden mention of Gold's name sent shivers down Mandy's spine. She remembered the horrible tasks Gold had her do back in her world.

"Something wrong?" He asked looking at the scared face she was making.

Mandy's memories faded as she was pulled back to reality by Henry's question. "Ugh, nothing. I hope Emma finds what she's looking for." She said offering him a smile.

"She will, it's what she does…find people that is."

"Oh okay. Well, if you really wanna see Regina to see if she's improved or not then I think you should pay her a visit, even if you don't have permission. I'm not condoning on disobeying your parentals or anything, but I think Regina deserves to see you." She said firmly.

"I do want to see her but I'm scared of Cora. She's probably staying with Regina."

"Well what if I come with you? I'll just wait outside until you're finished talking." She said hoping he would accept her offer.

"Great! I would definitely feel better if you were there." He said more confidently.

"Cool, we'll go tomorrow afternoon." She said now laying down on the blanket, hands behind her head. Henry followed suit. It was now dark enough to see the stars. They have been talking for hours.

"Wow! I've never noticed how many stars there are." He said looking up at the night sky.

"I love looking at the sky at night. See that star there? She said pointing to the sky, expecting him to find the star she was pointing at.

"That one there?" He asked pointing to one of the many stars in the sky not knowing which one she was talking about.

"No the second star to the right. That's my favorite star. See it?" She asked hoping he found the one she was talking about.

"Oh yea…Isn't that where Neverland is? He asked remembering the story of Peter Pan.

"How do you know about Neverland?" She asked curious as to how he knows about her land.

"From Peter Pan." He forgot she didn't really know about the stories on Peter Pan, or for any other fairytale character for that matter.

"You know Peter?!" She asked, sitting up.

"Just the movie, not the person. You know him?" He asked trying to find out more about her life.

"Yea, he's my best friend! We grew up together." She couldn't stop smiling when she talked about him.

"You're from Neverland?! He asked with a shocked look on his face.

"Yes and no. I was born in the Enchanted Forest but I found my way to Neverland with Peter."

"You might be more complicated than Regina." She couldn't help but laugh at that remark. "Anything's possible." She replied.

"Are you gonna tell me how you met Peter and found your way to Neverland?" He asked wanting to know more.

"Shouldn't you be getting home?" She asked knowing the kid would have to be home soon.

His eyes widened when he realized what time it was. "I forgot all about my curfew. I gotta go!" He grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. "Do you want help cleaning up?" He asked looking at the mess they made.

"No Henry. You go. I'm going to stay a little longer." She said shooing the kid away.

"Okay see you tomorrow. Is 1pm and the playground good for you?" He asked.

"I'll be there!" She said flashing him a smile. He smiled, turned and began running to where he tied up his bike. Mandy watched him go until he was out of sight. She laid back down to look at the stars. She wanted to go back to Neverland, but she did like Storybrooke too. She missed the adventures she used to have with Peter and the Lost Boys. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, dreaming of her life before the curse.

**Let me know what you all think. Reviews are appreciated:)**


	3. Chapter 3 What's in a Name?

**Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate them! I don't own anything except my character, Mandy.**

Chapter 3: What's in a Name?

Henry opened and shut the door quietly, hoping to sneak in without being noticed. He tip-toed towards the stairs, when Snow popped up from behind the kitchen counter.

"Where have you been Henry!? It's almost 11:00pm. You missed dinner and you didn't check in!" Snow said angrily.

Henry has never seen Snow this angry before, he fumbled his words when he realized she was waiting for an explanation. "I'm…I'm sorry. I lost track of time playing and everything."

"You've been at the playground this whole time?" She asked in disbelief.

He had to think of something real quick so she wouldn't suspect anything. He didn't want to tell her about Mandy because that would lead to him telling her about his not-so-awesome attempt at horse riding. "Most of the time. I went to someone's house for dinner."

"Who's house?"

"Ugh, Tim's. You know him." He lied. Snow had a feeling that Henry wasn't telling the truth but didn't press this issue any further. She knew that he was still getting used to their situation, as was she.

"Yes, I know Timothy. You kids weren't causing trouble, were you?"

"No, not at all. Just playing" he said giving her a convincing smile. She couldn't resist that smile of his.

She smiled back before saying, "Go get ready for bed, I'll be up soon." Henry ran upstairs just as the front door was opening.

"He wasn't at the playground." David said out of breath.

"He's upstairs." She said calmly.

"When did he get home? Where was he?" He asked concerned.

"About 5 minutes ago. He said he was at Timothy's but I don't believe him." She said flatly.

"What do you think he was up to then?

"Not clue but I'm sure it's nothing. Probably another hideout like his castle before it got torn down."

"As long as he isn't getting into trouble." He said giving Snow a kiss. "I'm going to bed, coming?"

"I'll be right there." She would join David after she tucked Henry in and kissed him goodnight.

* * *

Emma and Gold have been driving for hours. He explained things to Emma on the way, not everything though. He didn't tell her the reason or how Bae ended up in this world. Gold told her the reason he was accompanying her to NYC. He didn't want another imposter pretending to be Bae, like August had done earlier. Gold knew Bae would still be mad at him for not coming with him to the new world. He needed Emma, he needed the Savior, to bring his son back. She was the only one that could, whether she knew it or not.

"Next motel I see, I'm pulling in and stopping for the night." She said a little aggravated.

"No we must keep going." He said firmly wanting to get to NYC as soon as possible. He was becoming aggravated with Emma also.

"Unless you want to take the wheel for a while, we are stopping. I NEED SLEEP!" She whined. Gold sat silently. He didn't know his way to NYC. He couldn't drive even if he wanted too.

"That's what I thought!" She said knowing he wouldn't drive.

They found a motel a couple miles down the road and pulled into the lot. They made their way to the front desk. Emma asked for two rooms and told the lady who was helping her to put it on his tab, pointing at Gold. Emma grabbed both keys and walked away. Gold followed her.

"I didn't realize I would be picking up your tab, Miss Swan."

"It's the least you can do after dragging me on this little excursion of yours." She hissed. Gold gave her a wicked smile and plucked his room key from her hand.

"Just don't go crazy on room service." He responded, then began to walk towards his room.

"Aye, Aye Sir!" She said in a mocking tone. He rolled his eyes and kept walking without turning back. She found her room and as soon her head hit the pillow, she was out.

* * *

_The Next Day_

Mandy was sitting on a swing while waiting for Henry. They were going to pay Regina a visit. She happened to look up and saw Henry running towards her.

"You're late." She said flatly.

"I know. I couldn't get away from Snow. She kept asking questions, especially since I missed my curfew last night." He said breathlessly.

"Sorry about that" She said apologetically.

"It's not your fault. I had fun!" He replied.

Mandy smiled. She was happy he was having just as much fun hanging out with her as she did with him. "Well if you had fun just talking, then would you be interested in coming to this Indian Dance tonight?"

"Indian dance?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yea, the Indians do some spirit or ritual dance every so often. It's really cool. Tiger Lily has been teaching me some of the dances." She said excited.

"That's sound like fun!" He then realized he might not be able to go. "I don't know if Snow will let me though." His said sadly.

"Peter will be there.." She said trying to bribe him into coming.

"I'll get there somehow." He said determined to meet Peter Pan.

"Great! So are you ready to visit Regina?" She asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be!"

* * *

They began walking towards Regina's house. They talked along the way and before they knew it, they were outside of the mansion. Henry opened the gate and walked a few steps, followed by Mandy. He stopped walking and just stared at the door.

"What are you waiting for!" She said giving him a push to keep walking. They approached the door and Henry rang the bell.

"Don't eat anything with apples in it!" He mumbled.

"Why? I love apples!" She said confused as to why he would say something so random. Before he could answer her question, the door opened and Regina was standing in the doorway with a surprise look on her face when she realized who it was.

"What are you doing here?!" She asked as she gave her son a hug.

"I wanted to see you."

"Really?" Regina was shocked to learn that Henry wanted to spend time with her.

"Yea, I wanted to see you." He said. Regina couldn't help but smile at Henry and giving him another hug. She missed her son so much. She was so happy he came to visit her.

"I missed you too!" Her expression changed when she saw Mandy standing a little behind Henry, trying not to get in the way.

"Who's your friend?" She asked wondering who this girl was. She had never seen her before. If she did, she doesn't remember her.

"My name is Mandy. Nice to meet you." She smiled and extended her hand to shake Regina's. Regina shook her hand and said, "You too dear."

When their hands touched, they each felt a spark between them. They were both taken back by this sudden sensation they felt between them, but quickly shrugged it off and retaining their composure. Henry didn't notice anything strange between the two.

"Henry, I'll be right out here if you need me." She said reassuring the boy she would be there for him. Henry nodded and walked in the house. Mandy sat on the step.

"Don't you want to come in?" asked Regina. Mandy turned around, surprised by the invitation to come in.

"Oh no thanks. You and Henry should have some time together while you can." Regina nodded and shut the door behind her. Henry was already in the kitchen getting something to eat. Regina soon joined him.

"So what do you wanna do while you're here?" She asked.

"Where's Cora?" he asked with a scared look on his face.

"She's napping. You don't have to worry about her, I wont let her hurt you." She said hoping to reassure her son that he would be safe when he visited her, especially with Cora around.

"Okay good. I wanted to ask you a few questions and I want to know the truth." He said straightforward. Regina was hesitant in her response.

"Sure Henry. Anything." She wanted so bad to prove herself to Henry that she was changing for the better.

"I'm guessing you weren't always evil and that something happened to make you this way. What was it?

Regina's heart sank. She didn't want to explain her past to Henry, but she knew she had to be honest with him in order to gain his trust back. She chose her words wisely.

"Well my mother for one. She was always controlling everything I did. I was never good enough for her. All I wanted was her love and approval, which I never received. I soon fell in love with a stable boy named Daniel." She smiled when she mentioned his name.

"He's the one that tried to kill me at the stable's, right?

"Yes and no. That might have been Daniel's body but the real Daniel wasn't there. He was something else, some kind of monster."

"Well that's good. That guy was scary."

"My Daniel, the one I fell in love with, was nothing like that. He was sweet, caring, and always put others before himself."

She proceeded to tell Henry about how she saved Snow, her marriage to King Leopold, Daniel's death, and the moment she met Rumplestiltskin to begin her training. Henry had tears running down his face by the time she was finished her story. Regina couldn't help but shed a tear talking about Daniel and the life she never wanted. Henry jumped off the stool he was sitting on and gave her a hug. He felt so bad for her.

"I'm so sorry mom." He choked out. Regina hugged him back, leaning her cheek on the top of his head.

"Are you okay, Henry?" She asked, wiping away his tears, hoping she was right in telling him her whole story.

"Yea, I understand a little better." He said. Regina didn't want to let go of him. He hugged her tighter, wanting to take away all her pain.

"So why don't you tell me about your new friend. She looks familiar." She said, letting Henry out of the hug, hoping to change the subject. She also wanted to know more about this mystery girl.

"I only met her a few days ago. I don't know that much about her. She was born in the Enchanted Forest but somehow found her way to Neverland. She's best friends with Peter Pan, she's the one who told me I should come and talk to you, and she can do…." He stopped himself when he realized he wasn't supposed to mention Mandy having magic. He knew Regina would catch his mistake, she always did.

"Can do what Henry?" She was now curious as to what this girl can do. Henry had to come up with something quickly.

"Um..she can do Indian tribal dances." He remembered her mentioning the Indian dance that was going to take place later tonight. He wasn't exactly lying. She knew a little bit of the dances they do.

Regina was confused. "Indian what?"

"Indian tribal dance. I don't know all the details." Regina didn't believe this but didn't question him about the Indians any further. He was never a good liar.

"So how did you two meet?" she asked.

"At the playground." She knew this was another one of his lies but she wanted the truth for this one.

"You expect me to believe that Henry? I know when you're lying." She said arching her eyebrows. Henry didn't want to tell her about the horse incident, but she would find out sooner or later.

"Okay. But you have to promise you wont yell at me." She nodded in agreement.

"We met at the stables. I wanted to learn how to ride but David was too busy to teach me so I decided to teach myself."

"Henry, do you know how dangerous that is? You could've been hurt!" She said trying not to yell at him like she promised.

"I would've if it wasn't for Mandy. She saved me when my horse decided to throw me off."

"How did she save you?" Henry took a moment before answering her question.

"I can't tell you." He said flatly. Regina studied his face. She had a feeling that there was more to this girl than she was letting on and she was going to figure it out.

"Do you mind if I go get a few things from my room?" he asked, changing the subject.

"No, go ahead." This would give Regina some time to get to know this girl. Mandy heard the front door open and assumed it was Henry.

"Henry, do you mind if we..." she stopped talking when she turned around to see Regina. "Oh I thought you were Henry."

"He is gathering a few things from his room. Why don't you come in for a few minutes. I insist."

"Alright. Those steps start to get uncomfortable after a while." She walked into the house. Regina shut the door and led Mandy into her office, the same one where she first had a talk with Emma.

"Your house is so lovely" She said as she looked around the office.

"Thank you dear, have a seat." She said pointing to the sofa. Regina got herself a drink of her apple cider and sat across from her.

"So Henry tells me you saved his life…how did you do that exactly?" She questioned.

"I caught him." She wasn't telling a complete lie, she thought, just not the whole truth.

"You have magic." She said calmly, narrowing her eyes on the young girl.

"And how do you know that?" She answered back, not bothered by Regina's glare.

"I can feel it. You felt it too, when we shook hands." Mandy couldn't believe Regina figured out her secret within minutes of meeting her.

"Okay, so now you know. That's how I saved Henry." She said, putting her head down breaking eye contact with the older woman.

"You don't want people to know, do you?" She murmured. Mandy shook her head no, not looking up at the woman.

"Don't worry dear. I won't tell anyone your secret. But I do want to thank you for saving Henry" Mandy looked up at the woman. "…and for convincing him to visit me." She gave the girl a genuine smile. She meant every word she just said.

"You're welcome. Henry's a good kid! You did a great job with him. You seem like a great mom." She said before giving Regina a warm smile. Regina was surprised to hear those words come out of her mouth. Someone actually thought she was a good mother.

"If you don't mind me asking dear, what did you say to convince him to visit me?"

"Well, he thought you were evil but I told him that even the purist of hearts can become corrupted by magic and that it takes a dark person a while to return to the other side. I also told him that there is probably more to your story and that you were just misunderstood." She said breathlessly as she got all of that out.

Regina was taken aback by how this little girl could know so much about magic and how it corrupts people. If she didn't know better, it's like this girl knew her life better than herself or led a similar life as her own.

"Wise words. Sounds like you're speaking from experience." Regina replied.

Mandy tilted her head to one side, contemplating Regina's answer. "You could say that." Regina didn't want to dig too deep, too fast. She only just met this girl and she hadn't gained the girl's trust yet. She wanted to know more to this girls story.

She decided to ask simpler questions. "So is 'Mandy' your Storybrooke name or your real name?"

"My Storybrooke name is Miranda and my real name is Corinne, but I like Miranda a lot better. So everyone calls me Mandy." She answered happily, getting off the subject of magic. The mention of both names made the hair on Regina's neck stand up.

* * *

_Flashback_

Regina was meeting Daniel on Firefly Hill because she had something important to tell him. She saw him standing at the top of the hill and began to run to him. She couldn't contain her excitement. She jumped into his arms, he swung her around and kissed her. He didn't want to let her out of the kiss but she wanted to tell him something so he reluctantly pulled back.

"You look so excited! What's this news you have to tell me?" He asked smiling down at her.

"I'm pregnant." She said, her smile beaming back at him.

"Your what?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm going to have a baby, Daniel. You're going to be a father!" She said as she kissed him again.

"This is great!" His excitement quickly turned to sadness.

Regina saw his face change. "What's wrong?" She asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"Your mother isn't going to be happy." He said frowning in disappointment.

"I know." She said wrapping her arms around him, Daniel returning the embrace. She always felt safe and calm in his arms. "That's why we are going to run away."

"Seriously?" He said pulling back from the embrace. He was shocked to hear her say that. Sure, they talked about running away all the time but they never had the courage to actually follow through.

"I've never been more serious." She said with a straight face. Daniel couldn't help but smile and pull her back into a hug. He was so happy they were going to get away from her mother and finally become a family. It's what they both wanted, what they dreamed about.

"How far a long are you?" He asked curiously.

"3 weeks." She said putting her finger to his lips so he wouldn't speak. "And no I don't know what I'm having yet." Giving him a smile while pulling her hand away.

"It doesn't matter what we're having. I will love the baby no matter what." He said thinking about his future son or daughter.

"You're going to be a great father, Daniel. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!"

"And I can't wait to see our child in your arms. I love you Regina!"

"I love you too Daniel!" He picked her up and spun her around.

"Daniel…Daniel the baby." She said wanting him to stop spinning her.

"I'm sorry, I got caught up in the moment."

"It's fine. Do you have any names in mind?" She asked giving Daniel a moment to think about it. She sat on the ground, leaning against a tree. Daniel followed suit, wrapping his arm around her.

"Michael for a boy and Miranda for a girl." He finally answered. "What do you think?"

"I love them and I love you. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together" Both smiling.

"When do you want to leave? How does a week sound?" He asked.

"The sooner we get away from my mother the better." She said as she laid her head on Daniel's shoulder, his on top of hers. They sat under the tree talking and watching the sunset.

_End Flashback_

* * *

This was one of the best memories Regina had with Daniel. She was soon brought back to reality when Miranda asked her if she was alright.

"Um yes. I like Miranda too." She said giving a smile. "Who named you Corinne?"

"Whoever wrote the note that was in the basket I was found in." Before Regina could ask any further questions, Henry came bursting into the room.

"Mom, do you know where..." He then noticed Mandy sitting on the couch. "Ahh there you are. You ready?"

"Ready when you are."

"I'll come visit again soon." He said as he hugged Regina.

"Please do. I miss you!" She said, returning the hug.

"I know, I miss you too but you can't tell anyone about my visiting you." He said hoping she would keep his secret.

"Henry, Emma will be furious if she knew you were here." She replied.

"Well she and Gold are out of town and since when do you care what Emma thinks."

"I don't. I just don't want them thinking I made you come here. I'm really making progress."

"Well when Emma gets back, I will tell her I want to spend time with you. I gotta go now, Snow will know something's up." He said giving her another hug. "Bye mom, c ya later!" He said running out the door while Mandy walked over to Regina to say her goodbyes.

"It was nice meeting you, Miss Mills."

"Please, call me Regina." She said extended her hand.

Mandy nodded. "Regina." She shook Regina's hand as they both locked eyes. Regina looked into the young girls eyes and saw something familiar in them. They were Daniel's eyes. Mandy noticed sadness in Regina's and knew there was some connection between them but she couldn't figure it out.

"I hope you come back soon. I enjoyed talking with you." She really wanted to get to know this girl, her daughter.

"Likewise." Mandy replied.

"Mandy, we need to go now!" Henry screamed from the doorway.

"I'm coming Henry!" She screamed back to him. "Goodbye, Regina." She smiled and walked towards the front door to meet Henry who was waiting anxiously for her. Regina watched them go with a sad look on her face. She was letting her son _and _daughter go, again. Her sadness quickly turned into rage. Her mother had something to do with this and she was going to get to the bottom of this.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And don't forget to review:)**


	4. Chapter 4 The Truth

Chapter 4: The Truth

Cora was just waking up from her nap. She came down the steps, yawning, with her hand covering her mouth.

"Who was that dear?" She asked still a little groggy from her nap.

"Henry and his friend." She answered angrily.

"Why so angry, darling? Your son just came to visit you. You should be happy." She said walking towards Regina and putting her hand to her daughter's face.

Regina pushed her hand away. "That's not why I'm angry." Cora just stood there with a bewildered look on her face.

"You lied to me! You told me my daughter had died soon after giving birth to her, but that wasn't true was it?!" Regina screamed. Cora never thought Regina would find out, she didn't know what to say.

"Regina I…" was all that Cora could get out before Regina cut her off. "I would choose my words wisely if I were you. You're on thin ice as it is."

Cora wanted desperately to re-connect with her daughter. She was on the road to redemption with Regina just as Regina was with Henry. She had to tell Regina the truth, something she didn't really want to do but knew she had to if she had any chance to redeem herself. She was hoping it wouldn't put her in an even worse position with Regina, which was possible.

"This story calls for a drink" Cora said letting out a sigh before walking into Regina's office where she kept her alcohol, followed by Regina who was eager to hear this story. Cora filled two glasses and handed one to Regina.

"You're going to need this…and you might want to take a seat." Regina grabbed the glass and took a seat without saying a word. She waited until her mother began speaking.

* * *

On their walk back to Snow's apartment, Henry filled Mandy in on what Regina told him about her past.

"That's one hell of a story! And it was so sad." She had tears coming down her face. She wiped her tears away quickly hoping Henry wouldn't notice. "It's okay, I cried too." He said trying to comfort her in a way.

"It's hard not to." She muttered as she quickly regained her composure. "So she wasn't always evil. She seemed like a really sweet girl that was manipulated in so many ways, she finally cracked, resulting in her becoming the Evil Queen." She said trying to sum up the story she was just told.

"I know she's not all evil and she really _is_ trying, which I appreciate." He said with hope in eyes.

"Well I'm glad to hear that. You're so lucky that you have so many people who love you."

"I suppose so." He said when he noticed they were just outside Snow's apartment building.

"I'll pick you up at 7 for the dance and wear something you wouldn't mind getting dirty, just in case." She said before she turned and kept walking.

"Why?" He shouted.

"You'll see!" She shouted back and continued walking.

* * *

Emma and Gold continued on with their journey to NYC. They were almost there by now. They woke up at 7am and drove for hours. Emma was determined to get there later that night.

"So what are you going to say to your son when we find him?" She was curious as to how he planned this was all going to go down.

"I'm not sure yet." Was all he said.

"You might wanna figure that out soon. We are a half hour from the City." She said hoping he would come up with something soon.

"Don't worry about me dearie. You should be concentrating on what you're going to say to him." He muttered.

"How about this, 'Hey dude, why don't you come back to Storybrooke, Maine with me and your dad and we can throw a party when we get back' how's that?" She asked sarcastically. Gold just gave her a wicked glare.

"Okay, okay! I was going to bribe him with candy…" She felt like messing with him for this stupid trip he forced her to go on.

He was getting really irritated with her remarks. "This isn't funny Miss Swan." His voice elevating with every word.

"Sound like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed…"

"I'm in no mood for your sass, Miss Swan." He hissed.

"Well I wasn't in the mood for a road trip to NYC with you…but I'm here aren't I?" She said more seriously.

"For the rest of the ride let's not say anything to one another." He muttered.

"My pleasure!" She agreed. They continued to ride in silence until they reached NYC.

* * *

**Fairytale Land-Daniel's Final Moments to Regina Giving Birth**

Regina was meeting Daniel on Firefly Hill the day after she told him she was pregnant. They were going to finalize their plans when they heard a scream from a little girl on a horse. Regina, without thinking twice, jumped on her horse and began chasing the girl who was in desperate need of saving. She managed to save the girl and was later proposed to by the girl's father, who just happened to be a King. Cora accepted on her behalf and Regina was to be married and become Queen. Snow knew about Regina and the stable boy and let it slip to Cora that they were going to run away together. Cora was not going to let her daughter marry a stable boy so she stopped them and ripped his heart out, resulting in Daniel dying. Regina was later married to the King.

A month and a half passed by and Regina was beginning to show. Regina told everyone that she was expecting a child. She didn't want to pretend it was the King's child but she knew she would have to in order to keep the child and please her mother, and the rest of the Kingdom for that matter. The King was ecstatic, thinking it was his baby. Cora believed this was also the Kings' baby. A few more months passed and Regina was ready to give birth.

"Regina, we need you to push." A nursemaid said waiting for the baby to come out. Cora was holding her hand as Regina let out a scream while she pushed. "Keep going, almost there." The nursemaid said, encouraging the young woman. Regina pushed again and screamed in agony. Her screams were accompanied by wailing. The baby finally came out crying. Regina was happy it was all over and she finally relaxed. The nurses went to clean the baby off before it could be given to Regina.

"You did it sweetheart! How are you holding up?" Cora asked as she wiped the sweat off of Regina's forehead.

"I'm fine. When can I see my baby?" She asked anxiously.

"The nursemaids are cleaning her up, you can see her soon." Regina nodded and shut her eyes for it was only meant to be a moment, but turned into a three hour nap. She was awoken by a nursemaid who told her that the baby needed to be fed.

"Here's your daughter." The nursemaid said as she placed the baby in Regina's arms and left mother and daughter alone. Regina couldn't stop staring at her newborn daughter. She already knew she loved her so much. She reminded her of Daniel. Regina let out a sob that she was trying to hold back but couldn't. She and the baby began crying at the same time, both comforting one another.

The next day, Regina was rocking her daughter when the King and Snow came into the room to visit Regina and the new edition to the family. Snow was so excited to have a little sister.

"Can I hold her?" She asked Regina. Regina was hesitant at first but decided she could. Snow sat on the bed so Regina could place the baby in her arms.

"Make sure you support her head." Regina said as she placed the baby in Snow's arms then sat next to her on the bed.

"She's so tiny." She said and giggled. "Have you decided on a name yet?" She asked Regina. Cora walked into the room over hearing Snow's question.

"The King and I have been discussing possible names and we came up with Corinne." Cora said walking over to stand next to the King.

"Oh that's such a pretty name!" exclaimed Snow. Regina hated it. She had a look of disgust on her face that she couldn't hide.

"You do not like it, Regina?" Asked the King.

"Well, it's not my favorite." Regina said honestly. The baby began to cry in Snow's arms and Snow began to panic so Regina took the baby from her.

"Well what do you want to name her dear? You need to decide quickly. We need to make the official announcement to the Kingdom." Cora muttered.

"I don't know yet. I will need a little more time to decide." Regina said as she walked away to put the baby down for a nap. She wanted to name the baby Miranda in honor of Daniel but knew her mother would find out somehow so she had to pick a new name but nothing was coming to her except the name Miranda. She was certainly not going to name her child after her mother, knowing the name Corinne came from the name Cora.

_Later that night_

Cora snuck into the nursery to see her granddaughter. The baby was awake and playing with her feet. Cora picked up the child and began rocking her. She studied the baby's face and features and noticed something familiar about the baby. She has seen those eyes before. A vision of Daniel's eyes the moment she ripped his heart out flashed in front of her. She suddenly realized this baby was Daniel's child, not the Kings. She couldn't risk anyone finding out the truth of the baby's true paternity and she was furious with Regina.

Cora decided it would be best to tell everyone the baby had suddenly died and that there was nothing anyone could do. She wasn't going to kill her granddaughter though, she still loved her. She left in the middle of the night so no one would notice she and the baby were gone. She left the baby on someone's doorstep in the woods in a basket with a note. The note had the baby's name on it, Corinne, and that the baby's mother couldn't take care of her. It was left unsigned. Before she left her granddaughter at someone's door, she placed a necklace around the baby's neck which was supposed to protect the baby.

Cora quickly returned to the palace and informed a nursemaid that the baby had died. The nursemaid went to the nursery where Cora had placed a deceased baby she had killed. Cora then went to wake Regina and inform her of the news. Regina couldn't stop crying. Her mother sat on her bed holding her daughter and rocking her back and forth trying to calm her down. Cora didn't want to hurt Regina, she just wanted what was best for her daughter and she thought she was doing the right thing.

* * *

**Storybrooke-Present Day**

Cora finished telling her story, waiting for Regina's reaction.

"You took my daughter away from me and pretended she was dead!" Regina screamed as she stood up from the couch. "You couldn't let me have some happiness in my life, could you?!"

"I couldn't risk anyone finding out the true paternity of that baby. It would ruin you!" She hissed.

"You're unbelievable, you know that!?" Regina shouted.

"I wanted what was best for you, dear." Cora argued

"No, you wanted what was best for you." Regina said bringing her voice down a bit trying to hold back tears.

"I was helping you." Cora said flatly.

"I didn't need help! I needed you to understand that I wanted to live _my_ own life and do things _my_ way." Regina began shouting again. "And you just left my daughter, your granddaughter, with random strangers in the woods unprotected? Something could've happened to her!"

"I wouldn't do that. I enchanted the necklace I put on her. No one with magic would be able to harm her as long as she was wearing the necklace."

"Well what if someone took the necklace off of her? She would be powerless." Regina was so pissed by now.

Cora shook her head no. "The only way to remove the necklace is if she removed it herself."

"At least you gave her protection." Regina muttered, still pissed with her mother for taking her daughter away from her.

"I wasn't going to let my granddaughter go unprotected." Cora said.

"I can't listen to this anymore." She said putting her hands up to stop Cora from speaking." I've had enough for one day." Regina walked to the door opening it.

"Regina I…" were all the words Cora could get out before Regina interrupted her.

"No, stop talking!" Regina yelled. "I'm so tired of you ruing my life and don't think I'm still helping you with your little plan to get Rumple's dagger. I can't even talk to you right now." Regina left and slammed the door before Cora could reply. Cora knew she screwed up and she had to figure out a way to fix this and still go through with her plan.

* * *

_Later That Same Night_

Henry was waiting for Mandy to pick him up for this Indian dance they were attending.

"So let me get this straight…you met a girl at the playground a few days ago and now you're going to a dance with her?" Snow questioned.

"Yea, but it's not a regular dance. It's an Indian Dance." Henry responded.

"A what?" She asked with a confused look on her face.

"An Indian Dance. It's something they only do in Neverland I guess, but I don't know all the details. I'm guessing it's a bunch of Indians dancing…." Henry said while putting his shoes on.

"You sound like David." Snow said smiling seeing the family resemblance in Henry. "And do I get to meet this girl?"

"Yea, she's picking me up. She should be here any minute now." Said Henry.

"Who will be here any minute?" David asked as he came down the stairs.

"Henry has a date tonight!" Snow said smiling.

"You go kid." He said as he tossed Henry's hair.

"It's not a date, we're just friends. Besides, she's older than me." Henry declared.

"You're on a roll, kid!" David said giving him a light punch to the shoulder.

"David, stop teasing." Said Snow realizing it was beginning to bother Henry. When she finished scolding David, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Exclaimed Henry. Before Henry could take a step, David grabbed him, giving Snow a chance to get the door so they could meet this girl.

Snow opened the door. "Hi, you must be Mandy."

"Yea, that's me. Is Henry here?" She asked.

"Yes, please come in." Snow said waiting till she came in before shutting the door behind her. David had let Henry go by now.

"I'm ready, let's go!" He said eagerly, wanting to get out of there quickly.

"Wait a minute Henry. We haven't gotten a chance to talk to Mandy." Snow said catching the boy's arm before he could get out the door. Snow looked at this girl more intently, knowing she's seen this girl before. She suddenly remembered where she met this her.

* * *

_Flashback_

It was few years after The Evil Queen banished her from the Kingdom. Snow was trying to set a trap for her next meal but she kept having difficulty. She thought she finally got the trap figured out and was satisfied with her result. She was too preoccupied with her achievement to realize that someone had come up behind her.

"That's wrong." Said a young voice from behind which made Snow jump and pull her knife from her belt. When she realized it was a little girl, she relaxed a bit.

"Oh, you scared me." She said relieved seeing a little girl rather than an attacker.

"Sorry, I didn't mean too." The girl said apologetically.

"What do you mean the trap is wrong, it looks perfect to me." Snow said looking at her work over again.

"You didn't tie that knot right. " She said pointing to a knot closest to Snow's boot. "The moment your trap is triggered, it will capture the animal but it will escape because the knot will become undone."

Snow couldn't help but stare at knot the girl pointed at. "Well how would you tie it then?" She asked frustrated with herself.

"I would have to set a new trap altogether. Yours is set in an entirely bad location."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked.

"You want to set a trap where there is running water. All animals need to drink sometime. You will have a better chance at capturing something there. I can help you, if you'd like." The girl offered.

"Fine, I'm starving." She said accepting the girl's help. "I'm Snow by the way."

"Corinne, nice to meet you." She began undoing Snow's trap. Snow recognized the name as the one Regina's baby, her half-sister, was going to be named and thought this could be her. She quickly shook off the thought knowing that baby had died soon after childbirth.

"Are you going to just stand there and let me do all the work?" Corinne yelled to Snow waking her up from her daydream.

"Ugh, no sorry." She said and began helping the girl with the trap. "So what are you doing out in the woods all by yourself anyway?"

"I was on my way to Oz on an errand for someone and then I have to go to Wonderland after that." Corinne answered continuing to undo Snow's knots.

"Sounds like quite the journey." Snow said wondering why she had to go to these two worlds.

"Yea and both worlds have crazy witches, or so I've been told. Hopefully I don't have any encounters with them. I really don't want to go to be honest." She said becoming frustrated with one of the knots.

Snow came over to help her undo the knot. "Why do _you_ have to go?" she asked. "You're just a little girl, you shouldn't be facing witches and traveling to different worlds."

"You gotta do what you gotta do." She answered. "And I'm not a little girl. I'm 12, thank you very much."

"Alright, you're a big girl." Snow said not wanting to upset the girl any more than she already had. "But you never have to do something if you don't want too." Corinne thought about what Snow said for a while. They began walking towards a stream and began to set it up once they got there. They looked over their work and were both satisfied with the result.

"Where did you learn how to set traps like that?" Snow asked amazed at the trap set in front of them.

"In Neverland. We catch most of our food from these traps."

"You're quite the littler traveler, aren't you?" Snow smirked.

Corinne laughed. "I guess I am. Well I better get going."

"Thank you for helping me." Snow said giving the girl a hug. Corinne wasn't used to giving hugs to people, let alone receiving them. She awkwardly wrapped her hands around Snow's waist.

"No problem." Corinne said trying to get out of the hug. Snow let her go but kept her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "Stay safe." Snow said. "I will, promise." Corinne responded before running off in the direction they came from, Snow watching until she was out of sight.

* * *

_Present Day_

"You're name wasn't always Mandy, was it?" Snow questioned.

"No, my real name is Corinne. I think we met before." Mandy replied as she began to remember meeting Snow in the forest.

"Yes, we have. I thought you looked familiar." Snow said smiling.

"You two know each other?! How?" Asked Henry.

"Long story, I'll tell you on our way, we gotta go. Everyone is waiting for us" Said Mandy.

"Have him back by 10:30pm" David said before they could close the door.

"Gotcha! C ya later!" Mandy said before pulling the door shut behind her.

"Are you going to tell me how you two met?" David asked Snow as she began washing dishes.

"Sure. I never did find out what she had to get from those errands and who she was running them for, but I have a bad feeling it was Rumplestiltskin." Snow said with a worried look on her face.

"You think she was training with Rumplestiltskin?" Asked David shockingly.

"Unfortunately I do." Snow whispered as she continued washing the dishes.

**(A/N) I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thank you for the reviews. They really help motivate me to write more. Keep them coming:)**


	5. Chapter 5 The Indian Dance

**I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been swamped with school work. It's not as long as my other chapters but I wanted to give you all an update.**

Chapter 5: The Indian Dance

Mandy told Henry the story of how she and Snow met while they were walking towards the woods. As they went further into the woods, they heard kids yelling and fighting.

"Wait, did you hear that?" He paused listening to the noise coming from a distance. "It sounds like fighting." The sounds of metal hitting metal echoed through the woods.

"Oh it's nothing, just some of the Lost Boys fighting." She said casually.

"I wanna see." He said running to where the noise was coming from. Mandy followed after him. They hid behind a tree, not wanting to be seen by the boys and interrupt the fight.

"I wanna learn how to sword fight!" He said not looking away from the scene in front of him. They watched for a few more moments when a male voice was suddenly heard from behind them.

"It's about time you two showed up!" said the voice startling Mandy and Henry, making them jump.

"Ugh Peter! I hate when you do that!" said Mandy frustrated.

"I enjoy it. I get you every time." Peter smirked. "This must be Henry." Henry nodded. "You seemed pretty intrigued by the sword fighting…do you know how to fight?"

"No, but I would love to learn." Henry said hopefully.

"I could teach you." He offered. "I taught all of the Lost Boys and Mandy."

"Oh stop lying!" hissed Mandy. "We learned together and we _both_ taught the boys."

"You _are_ a worthy component, I'll give you that." Peter confessed.

"Oh, well thank you for acknowledging me." She said sarcastically before walking towards the Lost Boys to tell them that is was time to settle down and get ready for the performance. Henry noticed how they listened to her without complaining. His thoughts were interrupted when Mandy began speaking. "Are you two coming?" she asked Peter and Henry.

"We'll be there in a minute." Peter said wanting to talked to Henry alone for a minute. Mandy walked away joining the Lost Boys seated on the tree stumps.

"So when do you wanna learn?" Peter asked turning his attention back to Henry.

"The sooner the better. I also want to see you and Mandy sword fight!" He said eagerly.

"I think that can be arranged." Peter replied.

* * *

They were all seated around the campfire waiting for the ritual to begin. There was silence for few seconds when all of sudden the beat of drums filled the forest with sound. They watched as the Indians came out behind the trees, surrounding the entire group. Their faces were painted and wore feathers in their hair. There weren't many people in attendance, just Mandy, Peter, Henry and the six Lost Boys. The Indians began to make noises that were strange to Henry but seemed to normal to the rest of the group. Henry noticed a young girl with a feather in her hair. She couldn't be much older than him, he thought. He assumed that was Tiger Lily, the Indian Princess. She was cute, he thought. He watched her the entire time. Some Indians began to paint the attendees faces as the rest continued dancing. After their faces were painted, Peter and the Lost Boys began to join in on the dance. They just loved dancing with the Indians, even if they had no idea what they were doing. Mandy grabbed Henry's hand and pulled him up to join the dance.

"No, Mandy!" He said resisting her pull. "I don't know how to do this type of dance." He said.

She laughed. "None of us do, except for the Indians." She said as she pulled him harder.

They all began dancing in a circle to the beating drums echoing through the forest. The Lost Boys were doing such crazy moves that Henry couldn't help but laugh and join in on their ridiculous dance style. It was the first time in his life that he felt part of a group. He really liked his new friends. Mandy snuck away so Henry wouldn't notice her whispering something to Tiger Lily. Soon after, Tiger Lily began dancing with Henry, to his delight. They all danced for a little while longer until the drums had died down.

"You're a good dancer, Henry." whispered Tiger Lily.

"Thanks, you too! I was getting the hang of it." He whispered back.

"You were!" She said smiling. "I have to go join my father and the rest of the tribe but come back anytime, I mean it!" Henry nodded and she ran off. Mandy snuck up behind Henry startling him which caused him to jump.

"Looks like you and Tiger Lily really hit it off!" She said smiling because she basically set them up.

"Yea, you could say that." He said.

The Lost Boys began singing a little song that bothered Henry. "Henry and Tiger Lily sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G." They kept singing it over and over again.

"Looks like Henry has a little crush" yelled Mandy over the singing. She noticed Henry's face turning red and beginning to get angry. She knew she better stop the boys from instigating him any further before things got out of hand.

"Alright boys, that's enough!" She said firmly.

"Aw, but we were having fun!" whined Slightly.

"Yea, we were just playing." Added Nibs.

"Well you upset Henry, now say you're sorry." She commanded.

"We're sorry." They said in unison. Henry nodded and forgave them. Mandy then pulled Henry to the side.

"I'm sorry. You'll have to ignore them, they like to play games. They mean no harm." Before Henry could respond, a loud voice screamed behind them.

"Miranda!" Peter screamed. Mandy turned around to see why he was shouting.

"I challenge you to a duel." He shouted from a distance while holding a sword.

Mandy let out a frustrated sigh before answering. "Not now Peter, I have to get Henry home soon."

"We got time." Henry said nonchalantly, receiving a glare from Mandy.

"Stop making excuses Miranda! Unless you're scared I'll beat you?" He shouted with a smirk on his face.

She walked a few steps closer towards Peter. "Fine, someone hand me a sword." Nibs tossed her a sword, she caught it and pointed it straight at Peter. "Bring it on!" She shouted.

Henry was so excited to see an actual sword fight. The sound of metal against metal echoed through the forest once again. The Lost Boys began taking bets on who was going to win.

"I bet Peter will win, he's a great sword fighter!" Slightly said confidently.

I'm betting on Mandy, she can take Peter!" replied Cubby.

Mandy and Peter continued fighting, giving each other minor cuts and scrapes all over their bodies. Henry was watching intensely when he heard a girl's voice from behind him.

"Are those two fighting again?" the girl asked as she walked up to stand next to Henry. She was a pretty blonde girl, not much taller than Henry. She was wearing a light green dress with flats.

"Yea. Peter challenged her to a duel." He said looking up at this unfamiliar girl.

"They just love fighting with each other. They belong together!" She said watching the scene in front of them. "I'm Tinker bell by the way, but you can call me Tink. You must be Henry." He nodded.

"I thought you couldn't talk?" He asked confused.

"Well the curse changed a lot of things. I could always talk, it's just that not many humans understand what I'm saying." She said flatly.

"But we can understand the Blue Fairy just fine." He said still confused.

"There are different kinds of fairies. I'm a Pixie, it's like a sub-category under fairies." She said happily.

"I see. So do you have fairy dust then and can you do magic?" He asked eagerly.

"No, I have Pixie dust. They are two different forms of magic. Pixie dust is for flying purposes only. I don't have any at the moment." As soon as she finished talking, a loud noise made them turn to the commotion that was going on in front of them. Mandy had Peter pinned to the ground and the Lost Boys began cheering.

"Give up" Mandy asked Peter with a smirk on her face.

He smiled back. "Never!" He flipped Mandy so that he now had her pinned to the ground. Her sword slipped out of her hands and was now out of reach. "Looks like the tables have turned." He said grinning at her.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." She said causing him to give her a confused look. She managed to get her hands free and push him off of her. She ran to get her sword giving Peter enough time to get to his feet, ready to continue the fight.

"That was a close one." Henry said finally breathing.

"It usually is with these two. You should've seen them in action when they had to fight Hook and his crew back in Neverland." She exclaimed.

"It sounds like they have a lot of adventures together." He mumbled.

"More than you know." She replied.

"Earlier, you said they belong together. I thought Peter was with Wendy?" He asked curiously. Tink turned to face Henry and gave him a very stern look.

"Do not mention Wendy ever again." She said seriously.

"Why, what happened?" He asked wanting know.

"It's not my place to tell you but if you know what's good for you, you won't bring up 'The Wendy Topic', especially around Mandy. Understood?" She replied.

"Yea, I guess." He said not really wanting to agree. "Just tell me if Mandy killed her." He pleaded.

"She came very close, but Wendy and her brothers were safely returned to their home in London." She said, not wanting give too much information to a boy she had only known for a few minutes.

"Thank goodness she didn't kill anyone." He said relieved. "This time…" Tink added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"I don't know all of the details. She left Neverland when she discovered her powers. She wanted to get a handle on them so she didn't hurt anyone. She went back to the Enchanted Forest and met a man by the name of Rumplestiltskin, who was supposed to help her. She didn't like his methods so she returned, but by that time Wendy and her brothers were here. A huge fight broke out and she went back to Rumplestiltskin." She said trying to sum up the story.

"Tell me she didn't learn magic from him!" He begged.

"I'm afraid she did. She was forever a changed person after that. I tried to convince her to come back to Neverland, to no avail." She said sadly.

Henry was too shocked to listen to what Tinker bell had to say anymore. He didn't know if Mandy could turn out to be like Regina. He needed to know more about this girl and fast. He knew she had magic but he didn't think it was dark. He wasn't scared of Mandy, he had a feeling she wouldn't hurt him but he was still very curious about her past.

* * *

Peter had Mandy pinned to a tree when her quick thinking came into play. She kicked his legs out from under him, causing him to land on his back and knocking the wind out of him.

"Any last words Pan?" She asked holding the tip of the sword to his throat.

"Okay, okay. You win!" He chocked out. "This time." Mandy softened her stern look and flashed him a victorious smile.

"That's what I thought!" She said as she reached out her hand to help him up.

"I told you Mandy would win!" Cubby said to the other Lost Boys.

"I'm just glad you're on my side." Peter said, giving Mandy a smile.

She smiled back. "Always!" They walked over to where Henry and Tink were standing.

"So what did you think?" He asked Henry.

"I thought it was really cool and I can't wait to learn. You're both really good." He replied.

Mandy checked her phone and realized what time it was. "Henry, it's already 10:20pm and it takes 20 minutes to get to Snow's apartment, but only if we run! We gotta go now!" Henry agreed and they both began running.

"Come back soon, Henry!" Peter shouted after them.

"I will, it was nice meeting the two of you!" He screamed over his shoulder before attempting to catch up to Mandy.

* * *

They ran all the way to Snow's apartment. Henry opened the door and walked in, followed by Mandy. Both of them were trying to catch their breaths when Snow came down the stairs.

"You're late, again!" Snow said disappointed. Before Henry could say anything, Mandy began speaking.

"I'm sorry Snow, it's my fault. I was sword fighting and lost track of time. Don't blame Henry." She pleaded, hoping Snow would understand.

"Who and why were you fighting? Are you okay?" She asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh, it's nothing. My friend challenged me to a duel and he knew I couldn't refuse. It was just for fun." She said shrugging off her injuries. "Again, I'm so sorry he's late." She repeated.

"We ran as fast as we could." Henry added.

"Okay, okay. You're forgiven, but let's not make a habit of this!" She said. Both kids nodded in agreement. "Great, would you like something to drink? You both looked parched." She asked.

"No thanks, I gotta get back. I'll c ya later Henry." She replied walking towards the door.

"I have to talk to you about something. Can we meet somewhere?" He asked.

"Sure! Our spot, same time?"

"I'll be there!" Mandy said before shutting the door behind her.

"You two have a spot now?" She asked with an amused look on her face.

"It's nothing like that…ugh never mind. I'm going to bed." He marched up the stairs mumbling under his breath. "Stupid-people-think-have-a-crush-on-her" Snow just laughed.

**Again, I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while! Let me know what you think of this chapter! I'm going to Italy for a week so I won't be updating for a little while longer but I already know what the next chapter is about. Spoiler: A lot more of Emma and Gold's search, The Wendy Topic, and a few flashbacks! **


	6. Chapter 6 Careful Who You Meet

**I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while. Group projects and family issues have consumed my life for the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!**

Chapter 6: Careful Who You Meet

Emma and Gold had gotten to NYC and began searching for his son right away. Gold didnt know exactly where Bae would be but he knew he was somewhere in the city. Emma was better at finding people so she had an idea of where to look. He would probably be in a rundown apartment building, renting under a pseudonym, not wanting to get caught or for someone to find him. They visited several different hotels and apartments before finding one that seemed to be the right one. Emma was looking at the names listed on the wall and found one with no name. She had a feeling this was the right apartment. A man walked through the front door. Gold turned to look to see it was and when the man saw who it was, he turned and began running. Gold realized that man was his son.

"That was him, Miss Swan! You need to go after him!" He yelled pointing towards the door.

"Ugh, why do they always have to run?!" She asked, not expecting a reply. She took off running down the block after this guy. She followed him as he cut down alleys and through traffic. She knew she was never going catch him this way, he was too fast. She would have to cut him off somewhere. The next ally he cut down, she didn't follow him. She went around the building and ran directly into him, knocking them both to the ground. When she looked up to see what Gold's son looked like, she couldn't believe her eyes.

"Neal?!" She said in disbelief.

"Emma, what are you doing here?" He asked as he got to his feet.

"No, you don't get to ask any questions. You need to answer them!" She said angrily, pointing at him as she stood up.

"Are you Gold's son?" She asked cautionly.

"Who's Gold?" He asked puzzled.

"Rumplestiltskin in your world…our world. Is he your father?" She asked again more assertive.

"Yes, he is." He replied, putting his head down.

"Did you know who I was when we met?" She asked, her voice rising.

"Emma, of course not! If I'd known I would've stayed away. I came to this world to get away from my dad, magic and…everything about that world." He said aggravated.

"So you were just using me." She said flatly.

"I wasn't using you. When we met I didn't know you were the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming or the Savior. I found all that out later. I don't even know who your parents are-just their names." He said reassuring her that what they had was real.

"And how do you know all of this?" She asked wondering who told him.

"When I went to sell the watches, I ran into your friend August. He knew who I was and he told me to stay away from you." He responded.

"I didn't even know him then. Why would you listen to him? I loved you! I was ready to spend the rest of my life with you!" She screamed.

"I was trying to help you!" He shouted back.

"By letting me go to jail?" She yelled.

"By getting you home, to your parents!" He replied.

Emma took a deep breath. "Are you telling me that us meeting was just a coincidence? How the hell did that happen if it wasn't in your plan or your father's?" She asked.

"He wanted you to break the curse and us being together could've stopped that. Maybe it was fate." He answered.

"You seriously believe that?" She asked, arching her eyebrows.

"There are very few pleasant times I remember of my father. He told me there _are _no coincidences. That everything happens for a reason and there's nothing we can really do about it. Maybe we met for a reason; maybe something good came from us being together." He said.

Emma didn't want to tell him about Henry. So she lied. "Nothing I can think of. Doesn't matter now, I'm over it… and you. Let's go!"

"Go where?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

"I made a deal with your father that I would bring you back to him."

"You made a deal with him? Why?!" He questioned with a worried look on his face.

"That's none of your concern." She replied.

"You don't have to uphold your end." He said.

"I know."

"Just tell him you couldn't keep up with me and you couldn't find me after that and you'll never have to see me again." He begged.

* * *

Henry was sitting in the field where he and Mandy first met. He was still waiting for her to arrive. Henry was nervous to ask her about Wendy. He spent all night thinking of how this scene would play out, none of them seemed to end pleasantly. He knew Tink said not to mention Wendy but he was just dying to know. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his name being called.

"Henry!" Mandy shouted, running to his spot on the ground.

"Hey." He said when she got close enough.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." She said as she sat next to him on the ground. "Cubby got himself stuck in a tree trunk. We spent the last two hours trying to get him out."

Henry laughed. "Which Lost Boy is that again?"

"The rather plump one." She giggled.

"How did he get stuck in the first place?" He asked.

"They were playing hide-and-go seek. Cubby thought he could fit in the tree trunk." They both laughed at the image they got in their heads.

"So what did you need to talk about?" She questioned. He didn't want to start out with that question right away.

"I found out what your last name 'Vega' means." He said.

"Oh really?"

"Yea, it means 'Falling Star' but I don't know the significance of it. Do you?" He asked hoping she would know.

"I haven't gotten a clue, but I like the meaning. Maybe it's because I love stars?"

"I guess that's possible." He said looking down in his lap.

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?" She asked. A nervous look overtook Henry's face.

"Well, I wanted to ask you a few questions but I don't want you to get mad at me."

"What is it Henry?"

"What happened between you and Wendy? Tink said you really hated her and you almost killed her." The words just poured out of Henry's mouth.

"She told you about that?" She asked, her tone becoming angry.

"Don't blame her, I asked her to tell me but she wouldn't tell me everything." He said quickly not wanting to get Tink in trouble.

"I am not talking about this." She said angrily as she stood up and began walking back to the woods.

Henry got up as well. "Why won't you tell me?" He said grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him. With her free hand, she flicked her wrist, sending Henry flying backwards and hitting the ground hard. She lowered her hand and began walking towards Henry, who was still on the ground.

"She stole the one person I love!" She screamed. "This is none of your business Henry."

"But Wendy was such a nice girl in the movie." He replied.

"You need to forget everything you've learned from those movies. She ruined everything!" She yelled.

_**Flashback**_

Corinne was walking through the woods on her way to Oz and Wonderland. She had just left Snow and she couldn't stop thinking about what she had said earlier. '_You never have to do something if you don't want to.'_ She really didn't want to run these errands for Rumplestiltskin. She decided she would go back to Neverland and figure out her powers on her own. She flew back to Neverland without informing Rumple of her decision. When she finally made it back to Neverland, she decided she wanted to surprise Peter and the Lost Boys. She was getting closer to their 'house' when she heard unfamiliar voices. She hid behind a tree, peering out to see who these strangers were. She noticed two kids playing with the Lost Boys. They all seemed to be celebrating some sort of victory. Tink flew over and landed on her shoulder. Without taking her eyes off of the kids in front of her, she knew it was Tink and began asking her questions.

"Tink, who are those two boys" Corinne asked.

"Peter and I traveled to another world to look for his shadow. It was in their house." She replied.

"Why was it in their house in the first place?"

"I don't know. I think the girl had something to do with it."

"What girl?!" She asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Follow me!" Tink said before she flew off her shoulder.

Tink was heading towards the cave that Peter had taken the girl to; Corinne followed her. They noticed Peter and Wendy sitting on a rock talking. They flew closer to the rock so they could hear what was being said. They stayed hidden and listened intently.

"That was a lot of fun, but I don't wanna face Hook again." Wendy said.

"Don't worry! We can take him." He said reassuring her.

Wendy laughed. "I don't doubt it. I really like you Peter!' She said putting her hand in his.

"She better back off!" Corinne muttered which was only heard by Tink.

"I like you too Wendy!" Peter said.

"Not good!" whispered Tink.

Wendy leaned in, giving Peter a kiss. Peter was shocked by her action.

"Really not good!" Tink said.

"She needs to go! Corinne muttered.

Peter pushed Wendy back, breaking away from the kiss.

"Whoa. Wendy, I told you I'm with someone." He said.

"Well she's not here right now and I just got caught up in the moment. Sorry. " She said making up an excuse.

Corinne decided it was time to make her entrance. She wasn't going to let this girl come between her and Peter. She flew up behind the pair, followed by Tink.

"Hello Peter!" Corinne said from behind, almost making Wendy fall off the rock and into the water.

"I'm sorry dear; I didn't mean to frighten you." She said to Wendy when she noticed the girl jump.

"Corinne, what are you doing here?" Peter questioned.

"This is the girl you told me about?" Wendy asked pointing to Corinne.

"I thought you were learning about your powers." He said to Corinne, ignoring Wendy's question.

"I didn't like his teaching methods so I decided to come back. I see you already found someone to take my place." She said looking at Wendy.

"It's not like that. I like him as a friend, that's all." Wendy said quickly.

"It didn't look like that two minutes ago." She replied.

"How long were you eavesdropping?" Peter asked.

"Long enough." Corinne said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interfere." Wendy said hoping Corinne would believe her.

"I'm sure you didn't." She took a long pause before continuing with her thought. "We need to get back to the boys before they cause trouble or make a mess." She said before flying off with TInk.

"I don't think she likes me very much." Wendy said.

"Don't worry, she'll come around." He flashed her a warm smile before grabbing her hand to take flight.

Tink and Corinne arrived first. Corinne tried to make the boys wash up for dinner but they were ignoring her. Peter and Wendy arrived soon after.

"What's going on? Peter asked.

"They won't listen to me. This has never happened before." She said putting her hands on her hips. Wendy saw this as an opportunity to impress Peter. She knew they would listen to her.

"Alright boys. It's almost time for dinner, now go wash up!" They listened to her command.

"Yes mother!" They said in unison before scattering off to get ready for dinner. Wendy turned to the other three. "Isn't that cute? They call me mother!"

"This is ridiculous!" said Corinne as she brushed past Wendy. Tink followed.

"What did I do now?" Wendy asked frowning.

"Why don't you go help the boys and I'll find out what's up with Corinne." Peter suggested. "She is usually nice. I don't know what's gotten into her."

Wendy went to help the boys while Peter went to talk to Corinne. He made Tink leave them alone for a few minutes so they could talk in private.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked angrily.

"Nothing's wrong with me." She said flatly.

"Then why are you acting this way?" He questioned.

"Like what? I'm not acting any different than I normally would." She fired back.

"What happened to that nice girl I knew before she left Neverland? You changed when you found out you had magic!" He yelled.

"Well magic _does_ change people, but I haven't been using it...that much." She yelled back.

"Well you need to be nicer to Wendy. She's just trying to be your friend." He said.

"I don't need another friend. Haven't you noticed that she has been all over you since I got back? She likes you…more than a friend. She is trying to steal you from me!" Corinne shouted.

"Do you hear yourself? You're making things up!" He screamed back.

"No, I'm not! I saw her kiss you!" She said angrily.

"Then you also saw me push her away!" He shot back. Corinne didn't know what to say. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love you, and only you. She won't change that!"

"I love you too, Peter" He leaned in to kiss her. "I will try to be nicer to Wendy" Saying that name left a bitter taste in her mouth. She didn't like this girl but she was going to try to be nice to her, for Peter. They walked back holding hands.

"I see you too made up." Tink said with a smile on her face. Wendy and her brothers couldn't understand what she was saying, they only heard little bells whenever she talked.

"Yes, we did." She said smiling at Peter. It was clear to Wendy that Peter and Corinne made up. She would have to figure something out to split them up, this time for good. She already had control over the boys, now all she had to do was get rid of Corinne. They finished eating dinner and Corinne approached Wendy, Peter was watching from afar.

"Wendy, I want to apologize for the way I acted earlier. I overreacted and I've been having random mood swings. I'm not using that as an excuse for my behavior. I hope you can forgive me." Wendy gave her a hug, knowing Peter was watching. Corinne wasn't ready for that and the hug. She wasn't a hugger anyway.

"Of course I forgive you!" Wendy said pulling away from Corinne. "I hope we can be friends."

"That would be nice." Corinne lied.

"Why don't we spend the day together, just you and me?" Wendy asked. Corinne wasn't too thrilled at the suggestion.

"That sounds like a great idea. I think you two should spend some time together and get to know each other." Peter said excited.

"Fine, I'll go." Corinne said reluctantly.

The next day. Wendy and Corinne set out for the day. When they got far enough away from their house, Wendy's personality changed.

"So what do you want to do?" Corinne asked.

"Okay, you can cut this little sweet act of yours. I know you don't like me and frankly, I don't like you either." Corinne stopped dead in her tracks. She was shocked to hear this coming out of Wendy's mouth.

"So this is the real you! I had a feeling you weren't as sweet as you seemed. Well you're right about one thing, I _don't_ like you." Corinne said.

"I think you need to go back to wherever you came from. Peter was much happier without you." Wendy hissed.

"Is that so?" Corinne asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

"He was just warming up to me. We were really hitting it off. I can tell he liked me. That is, until you came back and ruined everything." Wendy screamed.

"Sorry to burst your bubble but he is in love with me dear…if you haven't noticed." Corinne said calmly.

Wendy got in Corinne's face and began threatening her. "That's all going to change. You are going to leave Neverland and never come back."

Corinne stepped closer to Wendy, their faces inches apart. "And what makes you so sure of that?" Corinne asked.

"Either you leave peacefully, or I will kill you and tell everyone you left for good." Corinne couldn't help but laugh at Wendy's pathetic attempt to scare her off.

"Good luck trying." Corinne said before turning and walking forward.

Wendy was mad that Corinne wasn't taking her seriously. She picked up a tree branch, about the size of a baseball bat, and hit Corinne on the head as hard as she could, which caused Corinne to fall to the ground. Corinne began rubbing her head and noticed she was bleeding.

"I told you I would kill you if you don't leave." Wendy said leaning on the tree branch. Corinne slowly got up and turned to face Wendy.

"So what's your decision?" Wendy asked.

"I'm not leaving." Corinne muttered.

"I was afraid of that." Wendy began charging at Corinne with the branch raised, ready to swing. Corinne didn't flinch. She flicked her wrist, sending the branch flying from Wendy's hands, making Wendy stop in confusion. Corinne then sent Wendy flying backwards, up against a tree. She walked closer to Wendy, still holding her place. Wendy hadn't realized how powerful Corinne was.

"Still wanna go through with that plan?" Corinne asked in a threatening tone.

Terror filled Wendy's face. She didn't know what to say. When she didn't answer, Corinne gave the scared little girl a smirk.

"I thought so." Corinne said releasing her grip on the girl causing her to fall to the ground.

"Now we need to find something to do for the rest of the day." Corinne said staring at Wendy on the ground.

Wendy fumbled for an idea. "I heard there were mermaids on the island…could we go see them?" She whispered, still scared of Corinne.

A smirk came across Corinne's face. "Not a bad idea. I need to get caught up on the latest gossip." Corinne responded knowing very well that the mermaids would likely try to kill Wendy, and she was okay with that. "We are going to the Lagoon to see the mermaids, now get up." She commanded. Wendy got up and followed Corinne without hesitating. She was frightened of Corinne and her dark magic. Corinne made Wendy walk in front of her so she couldn't surprise her from behind again. They finally arrived at the lagoon but there were no mermaids to be seen.

"Where are they? Shouldn't they be sitting on rocks singing and doing each others hair?" Wendy asked in confusion.

"Where did you ever get that idea from?" Corinne asked.

"I read it in a book from home." Wendy responded.

"Well that's not how it works around here. If you sit upon one of those rocks, I'm sure they'll come." Corinne said, pointing to the rocks in the middle of the lagoon. Wendy hopped along the smaller rocks and finally reached the big rocks in the middle and sat down. She stared in the water for a moment before asking another question.

"How can they tell we're here?" She asked looking up at Corinne, who was standing behind her.

"Oh, don't worry. They can tell." She said with a smirk on her face. Not even a minute later, there were about eight mermaids crowded around the rock Wendy and Corinne were on.

"Corinne, it's been a while. What kept you away?" Asked one mermaid.

"Ahh, Maraley. I believe we have some catching up to do." She said waving her over to her so they could talk in private. Some mermaids began climbing the rock Wendy was sitting on and started playing with her hair.

"What is your name, dear?" A blonde mermaid still in the water asked.

"My name is Wendy. I've never seen a mermaid before. You are all very beautiful." She said looking at each one.

"Thank you, dear. You're not bad looking yourself…for a human." The red-headed mermaid playing with Wendy's hair said. All the mermaids giggled.

"How long have you and Corinne been friends?" The mermaid sitting on her right asked.

"Oh, we're not friends. We're…ugh…I guess you could call us frenemies, although, we are more enemies than friends." She responded, looking over her shoulder to make sure Corinne didn't hear her. The mermaids gave one another a quick look and a devious smile.

"Why don't you come in the water for a little while? It will be fun!" The blonde mermaid asked, trying to sound persuasive.

"I don't want to get wet, thank you for asking though." Wendy responded.

"Don't you want to have fun while you're here?" A mermaid asked.

"I do but…" "Then you need to come swimming with us." The mermaid playing with her hair interrupted, pushing her closer to the edge of the rock.

"No, I don't want to..." "Don't be scared, we'll make sure you have tons of fun." The mermaids began pushing and pulling Wendy in all different directions to get her into the water. Wendy began screaming Corinne's name. Corinne and Maraley looked at the commotion that was going on behind them, neither one moving from their spot on the rock.

"You got yourself into that mess, you get yourself out." Corinne said before turning back around to finish her conversation with Maraley.

Wendy wasn't surprised Corinne wasn't going to save her; she did try to kill her earlier. The mermaids now had Wendy in the water and were trying to drown her. Wendy kept trying to come up for air, only to be shoved under the water again. She soon became weaker and weaker from the lack of oxygen she was receiving. She couldn't fight back anymore and gave up altogether. The mermaids still held her down, making sure she was completely dead before letting her go. The mermaids were interrupted by a splash. They saw Peter swimming down towards them, making the mermaids scatter in different directions. He got a hold of Wendy and began swimming to the top. He lifted her up on the rock and began giving her mouth to mouth. Corinne and Tink were now by his side watching the scene unfold. After a few mouth to mouth and chest compressions, Wendy began coughing up water and grasping for air.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked with a concerned look on his face.

"I…I think so." She chocked out.

"Corinne! You should've been keeping a closer eye on her! You know what the mermaids do!" Peter screamed.

"I am _NOT_ her babysitter! And she's the one who suggested it!" Corinne yelled back.

"But you didn't do anything while I was being attacked." Wendy added.

"I was talking to my friend...besides, you aren't worth saving." Corinne mumbled.

"That's it! I am tired of your attitude Corinne. You're not the same girl I once knew. Ever since you met Wendy, you hated her. You never gave her a chance and you already tried to kill her!" Peter shouted.

"Peter, that is not true! If you only knew what she is really like then…" Corinne said before being interrupted by Peter.

"Save it! I'm tired of listening to your lies. We're done! Come on Wendy." He said angrily, grabbing Wendy's hand pulling her with him as he walked.

"Peter wait…" Corinne cried.

Peter ignored her and kept walking. Wendy turned around and gave her a wicked smile. Wendy knew she won. Corinne could only watch them from a distance as they took off flying. Corinne was left heartbroken on the rocks. Rage and anger began to settle within her. She wanted Wendy to pay. She decided to go back to Rumplestiltskin to finish her training. Tink advised her against this plan of hers, but Corinne's mind was already made up. She began flying faster and faster, Tink couldn't keep up. She finally reached the Enchanted Forest. She needed to get to Oz and Wonderland to complete her tasks for Rumple. The question was how exactly would she get there.

* * *

**Present Day**

"What happened between you and Wendy?" Henry asked again.

Her daydream was interrupted when Henry asked the question. "I am not discussing this subject with you anymore and don't even _think_ about asking Peter anything!" She warned, walking closer to Henry who was still on the ground. Henry stood up quickly and began backing away from Corinne slowly.

"I was only trying to understand. You're my friend." He said before running off. Her faced changed from anger to sorrow when she realized he didn't mean to hurt her. She didn't mean to scare Henry.

"Wait Henry!" She screamed, but Henry kept running not looking back. She sat down, knees up while her head rested on her hands. She couldn't understand why her personality could change in an instant.

* * *

"As much as I would like to leave you here, I made a deal and I'm going to keep my end. Now come with me." Emma said grabbing his hand and pulling him along. They began walking back to Neal's apartment where they left Gold.

"I can't believe you brought my father here!" Neal exclaimed.

"Oh, you so don't get to be angry right now." Emma shot back. They walked for a few minutes in silence, giving the other a chance to cool down.

"Have you dated anyone since me?" Neal asked genuinely.

"I am not telling you anything about me. You don't deserve to get to know me after what you did to me." Emma said angrily.

"Emma, I'm sorry about that. I really did love you." Neal pleaded.

"I've heard enough crap for one day; please stop adding to it." Emma begged. They finally reached Neal's apartment building and Gold was nowhere in sight. They walked up to his apartment and noticed the door was unlocked. They opened the door to find Gold sitting in an armchair waiting for them.

"Bae?" Gold asked standing up.

"Yea, it's him. Can we go now?" Emma asked.

"Go where?" Neal questioned.

"Back to Storybrooke, of course." Gold answered.

"Whoa. I just can't pick up and leave. I have a life here, a fiancé." Neal exclaimed.

"A fiancé?" Emma asked with a hurt look on her face.

"Do you two know each other?" Gold asked noticing Emma's expression.

"No, why would you think that?" Emma responded quickly.

"Because you seemed hurt to find out about his fiance." Gold said.

"No. I could care less about his life." Emma said.

"Stop lying and tell me the truth." Gold shouted.

"Yea we know each other. We dated like 11 years ago. It's over now clearly." Neal said, not wanting his father to get even louder than he already was.

"Then you must know about Henry" Gold muttered.

"Who's Henry?" Neal asked.

"Miss Swan's son who is 11." Gold responded.

"What?!" Neal shouted. Emma didn't want to deal with this right now. She had no intention to tell Neal about Henry or vice versa. She thought it would be better this way.

"It's not like I could tell you! You left me, got me arrested and pregnant." Emma fired back.

"Emma, we need to talk about this." Neal said.

"I'm not doing this right now." She stormed out of the apartment. "And don't follow me!" She added.

"We need to talk Bae." Gold said.

"About how you're such a coward who doesn't go with his son to a new land for a chance at a better life and kills people if he doesn't get his way? Yea, no thanks. I know that story." Neal yelled.

"Bae, I'm so sorry. I regret those decisions. I've been trying to find you ever since you left me." Gold cried.

"Seriously?" Neal asked.

"I am Bae." Gold responded.

"I want to forgive you but I'm not ready yet." Neal said.

"I understand." Gold said putting his head down.

"I'm going to find Emma. You can stay here." Neal said as he left the apartment, leaving Gold to think about how he would handle everything when he got back to Storybrooke. He had to figure out how to restore Belle's memory, connect with his son, and knowing Hook and Cora were in town meant trouble. He recalled what an eye see-er said to him many years ago. '_A young boy will be your undoing'_ He now knew this young boy was Henry, his grandson. He needed to figure out what he has to do with the boy.

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. Again, I am so sorry I haven't updated in a while. Please let me know what you think, reviews are appreciated:)**


	7. Chapter 7 Falling Star

Chapter 7: Falling Star

Henry stopped running when he noticed Mandy wasn't following him. He knew Mandy needed help with controlling her magic and someone to talk to about it. She didn't want to talk to Henry about magic, she made that obvious. He realized she needed to talk to someone who would understand, someone who had magic and Regina was the obvious person to go to for help. He walked to Regina's house and knocked on the door, hoping she was home. When Regina opened the door, she was so happy to see Henry on the other side.

"Henry, I'm so happy you stopped by." She said as she shut the door behind him and gave him a hug.

"I need your help." He said rather urgently.

"What is it Henry?" She asked concerned. "Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

"No, not me. Mandy." He said walking into the living room to sit down.

"What's wrong with Miranda?" She asked worriedly as she followed Henry into the living room.

"I think she needs help controlling her magic, or someone to talk to about it."

"Why do you think that?" She asked.

"I asked her a question and she totally flipped out and sent me flying through the air. I'm not hurt though, so don't worry. But I want you to talk to her and see if everything is okay with her."

"She doesn't know me well enough. She won't tell me anything."

"Can you at least try?" He pleaded. Regina was desperate to get to know her daughter better and she thought this would be a golden opportunity to do so.

"I'll try my best. Send her over." She said smiling.

"I'll tell her you want to talk to her." He said getting up from the couch and started walking towards the door.

"You don't want to stay longer?" She asked wondering where he was going.

"I have to talk Mandy and try to convince her to talk to you…it might take a while."

"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked curious to see where her daughter lived.

"It's better if I go alone. She might think I'm forcing you on her and she might reject you. We wouldn't want that."

"No, we wouldn't…Good luck then!" She said giving him a hug and watched as he ran from the house.

* * *

Emma was sitting at a booth in a diner. She just got off the phone with Snow, explaining the weird situation with Neal being Henry's father and also Rumplestiltskin's son. She ordered hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon on top. She didn't feel like dealing with Neal. She just wanted to get back to Storybrooke and not think about her past. Neal spotted her through the window and went inside to join her. Emma was too engrossed in her thoughts to notice Neal come through the door. It wasn't until he sat down across from her that she noticed he was there at all.

"Oh no, not you!" she whined.

"I see you still like cinnamon with your hot chocolate." He said smiling.

"What do you want Neal?" She muttered.

"I want to know about my son. Please tell me about him!" He begged.

"He's smart, adorable, sneaky, likes to make 'operation names' for every mission. That's all I got." She said shrugging her shoulders.

"That's it!" He exclaimed.

"I only just met him a few months ago, I'm still getting to know him myself." She shot back.

"What do you mean you just met him?" He asked confused.

"I gave him up for adoption when he was born." She said flatly.

"Why did you do that?" He asked angrily.

"I was 18, in jail, and alone. I wasn't exactly in the best condition to raise a child." She yelled, causing a few eyes to look in their direction.

"I'm sorry about that. I really am." He muttered.

"I wanted to give Henry his best chance and I thought adoption was the right decision." She whispered.

"Was it?"

"Ye sand no." She replied.

"What the hell does that mean?" He asked confused. He just wanted a straight answer for once.

"He was adopted by the mayor of Storybrooke…"

"The same town my father is from?" Neal interrupted.

"Yes. Storybrooke is full of the people from our world and other worlds, like Neverland."

"Does that mean Hook is there?" He asked.

"How do you know Hook?" She asked.

"This wasn't the first world I've been to. If it were, I'd be a few hundred years old." He said laughing.

"Alright, this is just getting weird." She exclaimed.

Neal laughed. "Continue your story."

"Well this mayor just happened to be the Evil Queen who enacted the curse that brought everyone here in the first place, not to mention she hates me and my entire family. Especially my mother, Snow White, for reasons I'm not entirely too sure of."

"I'm so confused. So Henry's adoptive mother is also his step-grandmother?" He asked.

"Um, I guess so. I never really thought of it that way."

"You're gonna have to draw me a freaking family tree. I'm so confused." He said.

"I think I might need one myself." She laughed.

"So did she hurt him?" He asked.

"No, she loves him. She is fighting to get him back. He is with my parents now."

"It sounds like he had an alright childhood. When can I meet him?"

"Never." She said simply.

"What! Why?"

"Because I don't want you in his life or mine." She answered.

"You really don't have a choice now, do you?"

"I thought you weren't coming. You can't just leave your fiancé. You said so yourself!" She replied.

"I can leave for a few days."

"But then you would be leaving again…resulting in Henry being disappointed. I don't want you to break another innocent heart." She whispered angrily.

"I'm sorry, Emma. I'll try to convince Tamara to come with us."

"You can't bring her! There's magic in Storybrooke, who knows what crazy things will happen. She can't see that!" She hissed.

"I'll figure something out, but I _am_ coming with you." He said getting up from the table and walking out the door, leaving Emma alone at the table.

"Just what I need, more drama!" She said before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

* * *

Mandy was pissed at Tink for mentioning Wendy to Henry. She was going to talk some sense into the little pixie. Mandy noticed Tink talking to Tiger Lily over by a tree. She stormed over to them and began screaming.

"Why did you tell Henry about Wendy?" Mandy screamed at Tink.

"I barely told him anything and I specifically told him not to say or ask you anything." She yelled back.

"I'm just gonna go now." Tiger Lily backed away slowly before running away from the scene.

"Well he did and now he wants to know everything that happened." Mandy said, ignoring Tiger Lily.

"I'm sorry." Tink said apologetically.

"Peter and the boys can not hear her name. If they do, it will trigger those memories and I can't have that happening." She warned.

"You mean, they don't remember her?" Tink questioned.

"Right. For some reason they don't remember her…and I intend to keep it that way."

They kept talking as Tiger Lily made her way further and further away from the scene. She noticed Henry making his way over a few rocks.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" She asked running over to him.

"I need to talk to Mandy. Do you know where she is?" He questioned.

"She is in one of her moods. I don't think it's a good time to talk to her." She replied.

"I might've had something to do with that one." He admitted.

"She seemed pretty pissed when I left her yelling at Tink."

"I didn't want her to blame Tink." He whined. "I need to talk to her."

"She's down there." She said pointing in the direction she just came from. "Past those trees.

"Thank you." He began walking but turned when Tiger Lily asked him a question.

"Will you be around later?"

"Yea, I should be after I talk to Mandy." He replied.

"Would you want to hangout?"

"I would love too. Would you be allowed to go to the playground?"

"Yea. Come find me when you're done talking to Mandy."

"Sounds good." Henry turned and continued his way towards Mandy. He saw her yelling at Tink.

"Stop yelling at her! It's not her fault!" He screamed coming down the hill.

"Would you excuse us Tink?" Mandy asked. Tink nodded and left.

"Henry, I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I don't know why, but I keep having these random mood swings."

"I've noticed. Do you want to talk about it?" He asked.

"No offense Henry but I don't think you can help me." She sighed.

"Not me. Regina." He replied.

"Regina? You really think she could help me?" She questioned.

"Would you rather Rumplestiltskin to help you?"

"No, definitely not! I think I'll try Regina. Do you think she is home?"

"Yea, I already told her you might stop by." He said smiling.

"You did! Why?" She hissed.

"Calm down. I just told her that you might need someone to talk to. I think it might help." He said trying to ease the tension that was slowly building between them.

"I'm sorry, I know you're just trying to help. We can head over now."

"Oh, I'm not coming with you." He said.

"Why not?" She asked.

"I think it would be better if you two just talk. Besides, I'm meeting Tiger Lily."

"o0o0o, Sounds like a date!" She said flashing a devious smile.

"It's not a date! We are just hanging out!" He yelled, getting all defensive.

"Is it just you two?" She asked.

"Yea."

"It's a date." She smiled.

"It's not a date and Regina is waiting for you." He said angrily.

"I'm going, I'm going." She said as she began walking towards Regina's house. "Have fun on your date!" She screamed back to him.

"It's not a date." He muttered under his breath and stomped away in search of Tiger Lily.

* * *

Emma walked back to Neal's apartment, hoping they could get back to Storybrooke soon. She was tired of all this drama and she just wanted to sleep. She opened the door to Neal's apartment and saw Gold in the same spot she left him in.

"Did you just sit there the entire time we were out?" Emma asked.

"Is that a problem, Miss Swan?" He replied.

"No, just weird. Seems to run in the family." She said.

"I had a lot to think about." Gold said.

"You and I both…Are we heading back to Storybrooke anytime soon?" She whined.

"Bae is packing up a few things and we will be on our way." He answered back.

"So he's definitely coming?"

"It appears that way." He said.

"Ready!" Neal said coming from the bedroom with a suitcase in his hand.

"Great! This should be fun!" She said sarcastically. "Let's go! The quicker we get outta here, the quicker we get back to Storybrooke. " She said as she walked out the door.

"Was she always eager to leave places?" Gold questioned.

"Only when she didn't like the place she was at." He answered as he headed out the door and down to Emma's car where she was waiting.

"Put your stuff in the trunk and get in." She said quickly as she opened the driver side door and sat down, starting the car.

Neal leaned on the passenger side and poked his head through the open window. "You know, I was thinking we could stop in Boston. Maybe do some sight-seeing?" He suggested.

"You can, but I'm leaving you there." She replied.

"I was only kidding." He said as he opened the car door and sat down in the front seat. Gold came down the stairs slower than before because his leg was bothering him.

"Is everything okay, Papa?" Neal asked Gold as he got in the car.

"It's just my leg. I'll be fine." He replied.

"Finally, back to Storybrooke!" Emma yelled.

"I'd never thought I'd hear you say that, Miss Swan!" Gold said.

"Neither did I." She answered back as she pulled out of her parking spot and started for Storybrooke, Maine.

* * *

After his talk with Mandy, Henry began searching for Tiger Lily. He started to become nervous because he really liked her and this was kinda like a date. He saw her sitting on a rock. He took a deep breath and walked over to her.

"Henry, I didn't expect you so soon." She said with a surprised look on her face.

"My talk with Mandy went better than expected. She went to talk to Regina. Maybe now she will be able to control her magic better." He said as he climbed the rock to sit next to her.

"I hope so! Those mood swings of hers were beginning to get out of control." She confessed.

"I know! I'll keep you updated!" He said.

"Thanks. Are you ready to go?" She asked.

"I don't really feel like going to the playground anymore. Can we just sit here and hangout?"

"That's fine with me." She said. She didn't really feel like going to the playground anyway. "So what should we talk about?"

"Could you tell me about Neverland and your tribe?" Henry asked hoping she would say yes. She did. They talked for about two hours when they noticed it was getting late.

"Well enough about me, tell me about yourself." She said.

"There's not much to tell. My life is pretty boring." He sighed.

"I find you interesting. I like you Henry." She said smiling.

"Really?" He asked shocked. She nodded. "I like you too Tiger Lily." They both leaned in for a kiss. Once they pulled apart from each other, their faces turned red. They both looked down, not wanting to make eye contact.

Tiger Lily finally faced Henry after a few seconds of awkward silence. "I don't have much time. It's getting late and I have to get back.

"Yea, me too! I think I missed curfew again." Henry sighed.

"Well that's not good." Tiger Lily said.

"Yea, I know. It's been happening a lot lately… Oh well. When can I see you again?" He asked.

"Tomorrow, by the docks? 2pm okay?" She asked.

"I'll be there." They went their separate ways, both smiling. They had just received their first kiss.

* * *

Mandy took the long way to Regina's house. She wasn't ready to talk just yet, she had to think of everything she wanted to say or ask her. Nothing was coming to mind though. By the time she reached the front door, the sun was setting. She knocked and a rush of nervousness came over her. She didn't know why she was nervous, she had met Regina before. She began playing with her hair. A bunch of thoughts were running through her head when Regina opened the door.

"Miranda, I've been expecting you. Please come in." She walked in, waiting in the hall for Regina. Regina noticed how pretty her daughter looked with makeup on and her long, thick curls pouring over her shoulders. The makeup made her look a little older than 15, Regina knew her mother wouldn't approve of Mandy's style. The clip she wore in her hair to hold her bangs in place, with a red bow on it, made Mandy look like the little girl Regina imagined she would look like. This image brought up so many memories Regina wished she had of her daughter growing up. It made her sad to think of everything she had missed.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Mandy said shyly.

"You're not, dear. Please have a seat." She said motioning to the couch. They both sat down, crossing their legs.

"So Henry tells me you have a question about magic."

"Yea, a few actually." Mandy admitted.

"Well I'm here to help." Regina said smiling.

"I was wondering if you could teach me magic?" She blurted out. Regina wasn't ready for that question. She was expecting something easier like 'how to make something appear or disappear'. She didn't know how much this girl knew about magic, but she seemed to know a good amount.

"I'm trying to give it up…for Henry." Regina answered.

"I know. I am too…for my own reasons. But I've been having random outbursts and I can't seem to control my magic." She sighed.

"Yes, I heard about your little incident with Henry earlier." She admitted.

"He told you?" Regina nodded. "I told him I was sorry and I really am!" Mandy promised.

"I know dear. I trust you." She said. "You haven't entirely learned the craft, have you?"

"No, I was in the middle of my training when the curse was cast and Rumple was locked away in Snow White's dungeon so he couldn't teach me." She replied.

"He taught you?" She asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Yea. To be honest…he scares me." She put her head down, not wanting to look at Regina.

"Don't worry, dear. I won't let him hurt you." As soon as she said those words, she realized that might have sounded weird since they only just met and Mandy didn't know Regina was her mother.

"You won't?" She asked as she picked her head up to look at Regina.

"No, I won't. I like you… and you're Henry's friend." She replied.

"Thank You! That means a lot to me. I've never really had someone to look after me before." Regina's face turned to sadness. Her daughter had grown up all alone, with no one to protect or love her. Regina was still pissed at her mother for doing this. "Peter, did for a little while though." Mandy admitted.

"Who's Peter? Someone I should know about?" Regina asked giving Mandy a little nudge and a smile.

"He's my boyfriend." She blushed.

Before Regina could ask another question, her mother's voice was heard from the hallway. "Regina, do you have any…oh, I didn't know you had company." Cora said when she saw the young girl on the couch.

Regina introduced the two. "Mother, this is Miranda. Miranda, my mother, Cora." Mandy stood up and walked over to Cora.

"Nice to meet you." Mandy said extending her hand. Cora shook the young girl's hand, eying the necklace she placed around her neck many years ago.

"You must be Henry's little friend." Mandy nodded.

Cora began twirling Mandy's hair. "You remind me so much of Regina when she was your age." Regina shot her a look.

"I do?!" Mandy asked enthusiastically. Cora nodded. Mandy turned around and smiled at Regina. Regina couldn't help but smile back.

"What brings you by, dear?" Cora asked Mandy.

Regina walked over and placed her hands on Mandy's shoulders. "She had a few questions about magic that she needed answered." Regina responded.

"I see. Did Regina answer them?" Cora asked.

"We didn't get that far." Mandy whispered.

"Mother, don't you have something to do?" Regina asked hoping her mother would go away.

"Not anymore. Please, continue with your questions." Cora said, walking over to the couch and sitting down.

"Well I wanted to find out why I was having random mood swings and why I'm not able to control my magic." Mandy blurted out to Cora.

"How long have these mood swings been happening, dear?" She asked.

"I was about 12. That's when I started showing signs of magic." Mandy responded.

"That's awful young." Regina said.

"Not is she's the Falling Star." Cora said simply.

"The what?" Regina and Mandy both asked in unison as they crossed their arms.

Cora noticed the resemblance between her daughter and granddaughter and couldn't help but smile. "The Falling Star. I don't like to repeat myself so pay attention the first time."

"Henry told me my last name means 'Falling Star'." Mandy said.

"Then you are definitely it, dear. Congratulations!" Cora exclaimed.

"Is that something to be proud of?" Mandy asked.

"Oh honey! You don't even know how much power you have." Cora said. Regina looked from her mother to her daughter with a worried look on her face. She didn't want her daughter getting involved in whatever her mother was planning. She knew Cora was power hungry and with this new knowledge about her daughter, there was no telling what Cora was planning to do.

"I do?" Mandy asked. Cora nodded.

"Wait a minute. Please explain what being the 'Falling Star' means." Regina demanded. "There is always a price to be paid when it comes to using magic."

"With every Savior, there is a Falling Star. They are the only two that can rip the others heart out. They are also the only ones that can save the other if they were dying." Cora said simply.

"So Emma is the _only_ one that can kill me?" Mandy asked.

"I didn't say that. She is the only one that can take your heart and either crush it or control you with it. There are other ways to kill a person." Mandy's face turned pale.

Regina noticed the frightened look on Mandy's face. "I think we should talk about something else." Regina suggested.

"No!" Mandy yelled causing both Regina and Cora to jump by her sudden outburst. "I need to know everything! Please continue Cora."

"She can save you if something were to happen." Cora said.

"So say she gets a bad scrape or burn, Emma is the only one who could heal it?" Regina asked.

"No, you and I can do that. We just can't save her if she were dying. She could also heal herself." Cora responded.

"No, I actually can't. I can heal others, but not myself. Rumple never taught me that part." Mandy admitted.

"Why am I not surprised he had a hand in your magic background as well." Cora said leaning her head on her hand.

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked with a confused look on her face.

"Nothing dear. Mother, get back to explaining." Regina commanded.

"The Savior is born from true love, as is the Falling Star; with a slight catch." Cora said.

"Of course there is!" Regina sighed.

"The Savior has light magic, the pure magic, but the Falling Star has both light and dark magic running through them."

"How can that be? I thought it could only be one or the other." Regina exclaimed.

"The Falling Star is a rare exception. She was born from true love but dark magic runs through one of her parents." Regina knew it came from her and Cora before her.

"With both light and dark magic running within her, it makes everything harder to control, hence the name 'Falling Star'." Said Cora.

"Is that why I have random outbursts and mood swings?" Mandy asked.

"Yes and before you ask, I don't know how to control it." Cora muttered.

Mandy put her head down and began to cry. "I don't know what to do." She sobbed.

Cora looked at Regina with a blank look on her face. She didn't know what to say, but Regina's motherly instincts took over. She wrapped her arms around Mandy, trying to comfort her.

"Shh, shh. It's okay. We will find a way to control your magic. Everything will be okay. Don't worry." Regina rubbed Mandy's back as she cried into Regina's shoulder. It felt so good to hold her daughter close to her. She has been waiting for this moment for a while. She just wished she wasn't crying.

"Why don't you spend the night, dear? It's late and you look like you need to rest. Besides, I don't want you traveling at night alone." Regina whispered.

"Are you sure?" Mandy sobbed.

"Positive." Regina said, wiping away Mandy's tears. She then sent her upstairs.

"We're not done, mother. I have so many questions and I'm still mad at you!" Regina whispered before going upstairs to help Mandy get settled in, leaving Cora sitting on the couch wrapped up in her thoughts.

**I hope you liked this chapter! I would love to know what your thoughts are so far-let me know! Reviews are appreciated:)**


	8. Chapter 8 How They Met

**I hope you all don't mind a Regina centric chapter! Enjoy!**

Chapter 8: How They Met

Regina walked up the stairs and noticed her bedroom door was ajar. She figured Mandy was in there. She tiptoed to the door to see what she was up too. Mandy was looking at her bureau, lifting different perfumes to see what they smelled like. She then picked up a picture of Regina and Henry.

"Henry was about 6 in that picture." Regina said, coming up behind Mandy causing her jump.

"Oh! I didn't hear you come up. I'm sorry, I didn't know where you wanted me to go."

"It's fine, dear."

"Henry was a cute little kid." Mandy said, placing the picture back where it belonged.

"Yes, he was. I bet you were adorable when you were little." Regina said smiling.

"I wouldn't know. I don't think I have pictures from when I was younger." Mandy frowned. Regina dropped her smile. She then moved to her dresser, pulled out a pair of pajamas and handed them to Mandy.

"You can wear these. They will probably be a little big on you." Regina said.

"That's okay, I'll make it work. Thank you." She said, taking the pajamas from Regina.

"You can go in there and change." Regina said, pointing to the bathroom. Mandy shut the door behind her. She put the pajamas on and looked at the body length mirror that was hanging on the bathroom door. The light blue, silk pajamas were indeed big on her. The sleeves covered her hands slightly and she had to hold the pants up when she walked so she wouldn't trip.

"These are the most comfortable pajamas I have ever worn." Mandy said coming out from the bathroom and plopping on Regina's bed. Regina walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, placing her night gown beside her.

"They _are_ big on you!" Regina said, pulling Mandy's sleeves up.

"I like baggy clothes. They are more comfortable that way. Besides, I'm used to wearing clothes that don't fit. You have to work with whatcha got!" Mandy said, shrugging her shoulders.

"You didn't have clothes that fit you?" Regina asked.

"Not all the time. It was no big deal." Mandy replied. Regina wasn't pleased to her this but decided not to dig any deeper, not just yet anyway.

"So tell me about this boy, Peter, you're dating!" Regina said, trying to lighten the mood and change the subject.

Mandy rolled on her stomach and leaned on her hands. "Well, we've been dating for a while on and off. To tell you the truth, I'm kinda sad the curse ended."

"You are? Most people have the opposite reaction." Regina said shocked.

"I had the perfect life here! I didn't have those horrible memories from my other life-there were a few good ones though. Peter and I were together and there was no sign of Wendy…thank goodness!" Mandy said letting out a sigh,

"Who's Wendy?" Regina questioned.

"Just some girl who tried to kill me so she could have Peter all to herself. " Mandy responded.

"She tried to kill you?!" Regina exclaimed.

"Yea, she hit me really hard with a tree branch." Mandy separated her hair and showed Regina the scar she had on the back of her head. "That's where she hit me."

Regina ran her fingers over the scar. "What happened after that?" She asked.

"I brought her to the mermaids, they tried to kill her, Peter got mad at me, chose her so I went back to Rumplestiltskin to finish my training."

"What do you mean you went back? You left before that?" Regina asked confused.

"I didn't like his methods to begin with, but it was Snow White who convinced me to go back to Neverland. She doesn't know that though." Mandy replied.

"How did you two meet? You and Peter?" Regina asked, changing the subject when she heard Snow's name.

* * *

**Fairytale Land**

A little girl was gathering wood for her family's fireplace. The winter proved to be harsh, with freezing temperatures and tons of snow. She walked back to her family's cottage and put the wood into the fire.

"Where have you been Corinne? We have been sitting here freezing waiting for you!" Mrs. Randell screamed.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Randell. It was hard to find wood that was usable." Corinne whispered.

"I'm tired of your excuses. No food for a week. We need to save that for the more important people in this household, which doesn't include you." Mrs. Randell declared.

"I'm just as important as you are!" Corinne shouted.

"No you not! You're just a 12 year old girl." Said Jackson, one of the Randell children who was 6 years older than Corinne.

"Yea, what's so important about you?" asked Anne putting her hands on her hips like her mother. She was another one of the Randell children, who was just two years older than Corinne.

"Everyone has something special about themselves; some just haven't found it yet." Corinne mumbled. She began packing her things.

"That's because there is nothing special about you. Now get back to cleaning. My father will be home soon and he won't be too happy when he sees how dirty the house is." Jackson said, pushing Corinne to the ground. She noticed her arm was bleeding when she stood up and decided it was definitely time to get out of this house.

Jackson, grab her!" Mrs. Randell shouted. Corinne took off running, with Jackson following close behind. She was pretty fast for a tiny 12 year old, but he was just as quick being able to take longer strides. He finally caught up and grabbed her. She put up a fight but he was too strong and easily overpowered her. He began dragging her back by her hair.

"Let me go! Let me go!" She screamed, trying to fight her way out of his grasp.

"Quit fighting me. You're never going to win!" Jackson shouted back, pulling her hair even harder than before.

A boy heard the commotion going on and decided to check it out. He saw the little girl being dragged through the snow while fighting the older boy off of her. He sprang into action, tackling Jackson to the ground. Jackson let go of Corinne, causing her to roll down a hill. They began throwing punches at each other, giving the other a few bruises and scrapes. The younger boy pulled out his pocket knife and stabbed Jackson, causing him to grab his stomach in pain. The boy got up and was now towering over Jackson, who was now lying on the ground. The white snow around him began turning red. Jackson was dying. Corinne finally climbed back up the hill to see what was happening. She screamed when she saw Jackson covered in blood. The boy grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the scene.

"Let's go!" said the boy in a hurried tone. They ran for a while to make sure no one was following them.

"Can we stop now? I'm tired of running." Corinne said breathing heavily while leaning over, resting her hands on her knees.

"Fine. There's a cave up ahead. We can rest there." They began walking towards the cave when Corinne broke the silence.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Peter, and you?

"Corinne."

"That's a pretty name." He said, climbing the few rocks to get to the cave.

"I'm not a big fan." She mumbled, following a step behind him. They finally reached the cave and plopped down, each taking a deep breath.

"Thanks for saving me back there." She whispered.

"No problem. How old are you anyway?" He asked.

"12, but you look older than me." She responded.

"I'm 14."

"I can't believe you beat Jackson at _your_ age! He's 18 ya know!" She exclaimed.

"He wasn't a very good fighter. It was a piece of cake!" He replied.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" She questioned.

"I've been on my own for a year now. My parents were killed, along with many others, when our village was invaded by King George's army."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Why did they invade your village in the first place?" She asked, not wanting to pry too much.

"They were looking for his son I think. What about you? What's your story?" He asked.

"I was left on the Randell's doorstep when I was a baby. They didn't really want me and kept reminding me that I was lucky they kept me. I was basically their maid. I had to do everything and anything they said. I never had any fun. They fed me when they felt like it. My clothes barely fit. I'm so glad I left that horrible place." She sighed.

"Sounds rough…Let's stick together from now on." Peter suggested.

"Really?" Corinne asked with an eager look on her face.

"Yea, we will look after one another." He responded.

"I just wish we could fly away…to some other land and get away from all of this." Corinne exclaimed. The faint sound of bells was heard further in the cave.

"Did you hear that?" Peter questioned, motioning towards the back of the cave.

"What was that?" She asked back. They both got up and walked further into the cave. They saw something glowing into the corner. Peter picked up the glass fixture that the creature was stuck in.

"What is that?" She asked, looking into the glass and examining what was inside.

"I think it's a pixie." He said, looking closer. He threw in on the ground, smashing the glass and freeing the fairy. The fairy flew up to Peter's face and started talking. Both Corinne and Peter could understand her perfectly.

"Thank you for saving me. I was trapped in there for weeks! My name is Tinkerbell but you can call me Tink." She said, hovering in the air in front of them.

"Hi Tink! I love your outfit! I'm Corinne and this is Peter." She said pointing to the boy standing next to her.

"Nice to meet you both! I couldn't help but over hear what you were saying about wanting to leave this land for another. I can make that happen!" She said

"You can?!" Peter and Corinne exclaimed in unison.

"Yes, but I must warn you. There are Pirates and other creatures that inhabit this land. It could be dangerous." She warned.

"Every world has its dangers. I think we can handle it." He said nonchalantly.

"Very well." Tink began flying around the pair, sprinkling Pixie Dust all over them.

"Hey, what's the big idea!" Peter shouted! Corinne kept sneezing from all the dust.

"It's Pixie Dust! It will help you fly!" She replied.

"Fly?!" Corinne said, surprised.

"How else did you expect to get to Neverland!" She said.

"So that's where we're going!" Peter said.

"Yep, so think of a happy thought." They both shut their eyes, thinking back to a time that made them happy. Peter began floating off the ground.

"This is so cool!" Peter exclaimed.

"I don't have any happy memories. I'll never get to Neverland!" She whined.

"It can be anything that makes you happy or makes you smile. Use your imagination!" Tink said, trying to help her find a happy thought.

"What if I picture what my mother looks like?" Corinne asked.

"If it makes you happy, it should work." Corinne closed her eyes and began picturing the image in her head. She began to float off the ground.

Hey, I'm doing it! I'm flying!" Corinne shouted in excitement.

"Great! Now it might be a little difficult to fly at first but you'll get the hang of it!" She said, trying to encourage them. "Follow me!" Tink led the way out of the cave, followed by Peter and Corinne. She flew slowly so they could keep up with her. There were only a few problems along the way. Peter flew into tree branches; Corinne flew straight into a flock of birds. After all of the little mishaps, they finally made it to Neverland. They were flying over the island, looking at the beautiful scenery below.

"That's such a pretty lake!" Corinne said, pointing down below.

"It's not a lake, it's a lagoon." Tink corrected. "And that's where the mermaids are."

"There are mermaids here?!" Corinne exclaimed.

"Who cares about mermaids! Where are the pirates?" Peter asked anxiously.

"They're around." Tink responded. "I wouldn't suggest looking for them though. They'll find you…in time."

"Does that mean we will be running from pirates from now on?" Corinne asked, not looking forward to running all the time.

"No. They'll be running from us!" Peter said confidently.

"Don't underestimate your enemy! That's the first thing you two need to learn." Tink said.

"I'm not too sure we will be winning against these pirates." Corinne said with a worried look on her face.

"Don't worry. I have your back." He said to Corinne, smiling next to her. "And you have mine. We'll have so many adventures! Just you wait!" He flew ahead, scoping out the rest of the island. Corinne couldn't help but smile and blush. She was developing a crush on this boy.

Tink showed them where they would be living. It was a tree in the middle of the forest.

"You expect us to live up in a tree?" Corinne asked with a disgusted look on her face, looking up.

"Not up it, in it!" Tink said. Both kids looked at each other with confused looks on their faces. Tink showed them the little door cut out in the tree. They peeked inside, but didn't realize there was a slide that brought them underground. They both slipped and slid down onto a pile of leaves.

"You're going to have to add a few things to make it feel a bit homier." Tink said, giving a look around the place.

"That's fine. I'm sure we can manage." Corinne said, pulling leaves out of her hair.

"This is so cool! It's like our own little hideout!" Peter exclaimed.

"I have to get back to the other fairies and let them know I'm okay. I'll stop by later." Tink said before flying off.

"So what do you wanna do first?" Corinne asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Let's go find some pirates!" He said before finding his way out of their house. She rolled her eyes and followed him out.

* * *

**Present Day-Storybrooke**

Regina was grateful Peter saved her daughter. She was more pissed at her mother for putting Mandy in that type of danger in the first place. She just wanted to hug Mandy and absorb all the pain her daughter felt. She didn't want to upset Mandy even more by asking her any more questions about those people who supposedly raised her, so she decided to ask about Hook instead.

"So does that mean you know Hook?" Regina asked.

"Very well. We've beaten him countless times." Mandy said smiling.

"I'm not surprised. He was never a good fighter." Regina said.

"That's for sure." Mandy yawned.

"Come on. Let's get you to bed." Regina said, tapping Mandy's arm signaling her to follow her. "You can tell me those stories some other time." Mandy followed Regina down the hall to a guest bedroom. Mandy hopped on the bed and got under the covers quickly.

"This bed is awesome!" Mandy said snuggling in. Regina walked over and began tucking her in.

"I'm glad you're comfortable. " She said smiling. "Sleep well, dear." She said patting the girl on the shoulder. She was walking towards the door when Mandy began to speak.

"Regina?" Mandy said.

"Yes?" she said turning to face Mandy.

"If I was born from true love, why did my parents give me up? Didn't they want me?" Mandy whispered.

Regina looked to Mandy with sadness on her face. She desperately wanted to tell her she was her mother, but now was not the time. She took a deep breath before walking over to sit on the edge of the bed and placing her hands over Mandy's. She had to choose her words wisely.

"I'm sure they wanted you, dear. You don't know the circumstances surrounding your birth. You were probably loved very much." Regina said, trying to reassure her that she was indeed loved by both her parents.

"Doesn't feel like it." Mandy replied frowning. Regina didn't know how to respond. She looked at Mandy with guilt in her eyes. She should've been there for her daughter but her mother made that impossible.

"Peter loves you, right?" Regina asked.

"For now…" Mandy replied. Regina wanted to know what she meant by that but she could see how exhausted the young girl was and she needed to talk to Cora.

"I have to have a little talk with my mother. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Regina whispered.

"Thanks Regina. I haven't had someone be _this_ nice to me in a while." She whispered back.

Regina smiled and stood up. "Like I said before, I'm here to help." Mandy smiled. "Goodnight Miranda!"

"Night, Regina!" As Regina shut the door, Mandy turned on her side and began thinking about what Cora and Regina said earlier. They both hinted at things that had to do with her but she couldn't figure it out.

* * *

**Same Night**

Regina walked down the stairs. She headed towards the living room where she had left her mother, only she wasn't there.

"Mother! Where are you?" She said in a whispered scream so she wouldn't wake Mandy.

"In here Regina." Regina walked into her study and found her mother sitting in her chair behind her desk, sipping a glass of wine.

"Mother, we need to talk." Regina said placing her hands on her hips.

"Let's talk in the morning, dear. I'm tired." Cora said finishing her glass of wine.

"No. We are doing this now!" She said more forcefully.

"What do you want to talk about? Corinne?" Cora asked.

"Her name is Miranda, mother. The name Daniel and I wanted to name her, not the name you chose." Regina said, her voice rising as she became more irritated with Cora. Cora played with her wine glass and stared at Regina.

"You put Miranda in the worst place possible. She was almost killed." Regina shouted.

"But she wasn't. Be thankful for that dear." Cora said flatly.

"You're unbelievable!" Regina exclaimed. A moment of silence fell upon the room when neither one knew what to say next. Regina knew she wasn't going to get anywhere with her mother about what she had done to Mandy when she was a baby so she moved on from that topic.

"Tell me more about the Falling Star." Regina said, trying to calm down.

"I don't know much more, dear." Cora said, refilling her win glass.

"There has to be something else. Something you're forgetting!" When Cora didn't answer, Regina threw her hands up in frustration.

"Her magic is very powerful; we just won't know what she is capable of until we see her in action. I suggest we start training her." Cora confessed.

"No, she is still pure and innocent. I don't want magic corrupting her like it has you and me." Regina argued.

"Rumple has already corrupted her. She always had magic; you won't be able to stop her from using it." Cora argued back.

"She told me she wanted to quit." Regina muttered.

"That's because she is scared of her outbursts and what she might do when she has them. If she learns to control her magic, she'll be more relaxed and focused." Cora said.

"I want her to give it up. I don't want her to pay the price that magic always comes with." Regina exclaimed.

"She can't just get rid of her magic. The Falling Star's magic is different than ours. They are stuck with it for life; whether they want it or not." Cora shot back. Regina shook her head in disbelief and sat down in a chair on the other side of her desk.

"Our only option is to train her than…"Regina realized.

Cora stood. "And we can see just how powerful she is. Just think Regina, if we use the Power of Three we will be untouchable."

"Is this just about power for you? If you knew your granddaughter was the Falling Star, you wouldn't have abandoned her." Regina exclaimed.

Cora knew Regina was right about that but she wasn't going to admit it to her. "I'm just saying you need to realize how powerful she is." Regina sighed and sunk into the chair. Cora walked over to her Regina's side, putting her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Think about her training overnight, and let me know what you decide in the morning." Cora lifted her hand but remembered she had something else she wanted to say to Regina.

"And you need to tell her the truth about you being her mother…soon!"

"I know!" Regina mumbled. She could feel a headache coming on and began rubbing her temples. Cora began walking towards the door when Regina said something.

"Mother?" Regina asked, turning in her seat to face Cora.

"What Regina?" Cora whined, turning around.

"Why is Mandy the Falling Star when she was born before I even had magic or cast the curse? She's technically older than Emma…" Regina questioned.

"It's fate, dear. That or it was Rumple's plan from the beginning." Cora simply replied.

"I hate him!" Regina muttered, turning back in her seat and crossing her arms.

"Goodnight, dear." Cora said. Regina didn't respond. She was too angry at Rumple and her mother and just life in general. She stayed up most of the night thinking. She had a lot to think about before the morning came, especially how she was going to tell Mandy about her parents.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it! I would love to know what you all think so far. Reviews are appreciated:)**


	9. Chapter 9 Young Romance

**This is basically just a filler chapter but I hope you like it anyway!**

Chapter 9: Young Romance

Henry was sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal rather quickly.

"Slow down, kid. No one is going to take it away from you." David said walking into the kitchen to get something to eat himself.

"I'm going to meet a friend and I still have to get a shower and get dressed." He mumbled with his mouth full of cereal.

"What time are you meeting Mandy?" David asked as he began pouring milk into his own cereal.

"It's not Mandy and 2pm." He said casually.

"It's only 11am, you have plenty of time to get ready. But who are you meeting then if it's not Mandy?" He asked curiously.

"I have other friends ya know! Her name is Tiger Lily and before you say anything, we are just friends." He said pointing his spoon at David.

"Alright, alight!" David said putting his hands up.

"I just got off the phone with Emma. She said they would be back sometime tomorrow." Snow said coming into the kitchen to tell them the news.

"Cool, so she found Mr. Gold's son then?" Henry asked.

"Yes…she did." She said in a worried tone that Henry didn't catch but David did. "We need to talk." She whispered in David's ear so Henry wouldn't hear.

"Henry, why don't you go get ready for your date." David said quickly.

"Date?" Snow asked raising her eyebrow at the young boy.

"It's not a date!" He said angrily as he hopped off the chair and marched up the stairs.

"I meant hanging out!" David yelled after him.

"Henry has a date and it's not Mandy?" Snow asked.

"Her name is Tiger Lily. He says their just friends but who knows. Now what did you have to tell me?" David asked.

"Emma is on her way back with Mr. Gold and his son, who also happens to be Henry's father!" Snow whispered.

"How the hell did that happen?" David asked loudly.

"Shh, I don't know the whole story." Snow replied.

"That makes Gold Henry's grandfather…this is crazy!" David said.

"I know. She doesn't want us to say anything to Henry until she can explain it to him when she gets back." Snow said.

"I won't say anything." David said reassuring her.

* * *

Mandy came down the stairs still in her silk pajamas Regina let her borrow the night before. She didn't bother to brush her hair so her dark curls were all over the place. She heard voices coming from the kitchen so she made her way there and found Cora and Regina sitting at the table talking.

"Look who decided to get up!" Cora said when she saw Mandy come through the door. Mandy walked over to the table and stood next to Regina, rubbing her eyes.

"I trust you had a restful night?" Regina asked.

"I did. Best sleep in a while." Mandy replied.

Regina smiled. "Have a seat dear." She said motioning to the seat next to her. "What would you like for breakfast? I can make you French toast or pancakes or..."

"French toast please!" Mandy interrupted before Regina could finish her sentence. Regina began getting the ingredients out for French toast.

"Miranda, how did your training go with Rumplestiltskin?" Cora asked.

"Mother, she just got up!" Regina said with a frustrated tone.

"I am just trying to understand everything Regina" Cora shot back.

"It's okay." Mandy said quickly. She didn't want them to fight, at least not over her.

"When I went back to him the second time, I was more determined than ever to learn how to use magic. I was willing to do everything and anything to get rid of Wendy." Mandy said.

"Wendy?" Cora asked.

"I'll fill you in later mother. " Regina said.

Cora nodded. "What did he have you do?"

"He taught me a lot of the spells the first time so I would be ready when I had to go to Oz and Wonderland to retrieve things for him, with the possibility of facing powerful witches and Queens." Mandy said.

"You were in Wonderland?" Cora asked, shocked.

"Yea, I heard the Queen of Hearts was awful. Did you know she cuts off people's heads?!" Mandy exclaimed.

Regina couldn't help but laugh. "She _is_ the Queen of Hearts, dear."

"You are?!" Mandy asked in shock. "I'm sure you were a very nice Queen and the rumors weren't true. Please don't cut my head off." Mandy whispered trying to please Cora.

Cora and Regina both laughed. "The rumors were true but I won't be cutting your head off dear." Cora said. "Now, what did Rumple want from Wonderland?"

"He wanted a piece of a mushroom, which was easy to find. He also wanted a key that was locked somewhere in your castle. That one was tougher to locate, but I found it eventually!" She said grinning. Regina placed the French roast in front of Mandy and she began cutting it up right away. Regina sat down in her original seat to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"What key did you take?" Cora asked eagerly.

"It was tiny, gold, and had a red heart on it. It was in your room, locked in a box, hidden under your bed." Mandy replied as she stuffed food in her mouth.

"How the hell did you get into the palace, let alone find _that_ hiding spot?" Regina asked curiously.

"You become a very good spy in Neverland when one is constantly on the lookout for pirates and their treasure. I snuck in through the servants' quarters when she was holding court." She said nodding towards Cora. "There weren't that many people in the palace. I searched her room very carefully, making sure I put everything back where I found it. It was like finding Hook's buried treasure! You hide your treasure much better than he does." Mandy said to Cora grinning. "I found the key to the box in your pillow sheet, unlocked the box, took the tiny key, relocked the box, and put the key back where I found it." She said between bites. Cora looked at her granddaughter with anger in her eyes. Mandy and Regina both noticed.

"Are you mad at me? What was the key for anyway?" Mandy asked. Cora didn't answer. She flicked her wrist and froze Mandy mid-bite.

"Mother! What the hell did you do that for?" Regina yelled.

"Her necklace doesn't work anymore." Cora said flatly.

"What are you talking about?" Regina said frustrated.

"I wouldn't have been able to freeze her if it still worked. That key she took from my room unlocked the spell that I had placed on her necklace. She gave it to Rumple. He probably unlocked it while she was sleeping." Cora said angrily.

"Can't you just redo the spell?" Regina asked.

"It's not that simple. Honestly Regina, you should know this by now." Cora said frustrated.

"Unfreeze her now." Regina said flatly. Cora flicked her wrist and Mandy was back to eating her breakfast like nothing ever happened.

"Miranda, why did you leave Rumple in the first place?" Regina asked.

"He wanted me to rip out a heart. I wasn't comfortable, so I left. But when I came back the second time, I could do it no problem."

Regina was afraid of that answer. "How many hearts have you ripped out?"

"I kinda lost track…" Mandy said, putting her head down.

"We both know how you feel, dear." Cora said she patted Mandy's hand. It was the first time Regina saw Cora show affection toward Miranda, even though it was small. It was a start and she figured it was good enough for now.

"Miranda, how would you like if my mother and I trained you to help get control of your magic?" Regina said, changing the subject.

"Really! You would do that for me?" Mandy asked eagerly.

"Of course! We should start today." Cora exclaimed as she stood from her seat.

Today?" Mandy asked

"The sooner we start, the better!" Regina replied.

"Okay. I have to run home real quick to get changed." She said standing up and putting her plate in the sink.

"You should bring a few pairs back with you. I think it would be best if you stay here for a little while, just incase you have another magical outburst. We can control it better." Cora demanded more than suggesting.

"Okay. I'll be back shortly." Mandy replied. "Oh Regina, do you know where my clothes are? I can't find them."

"I threw them in the wash. They should be dry by now." Regina responded.

"Thanks. See you later!" She said leaving the kitchen.

"Quick thinking! Coming up with an excuse for her to stay longer." Regina said smiling.

"You can thank me now dear. You know I don't like waiting." Cora replied.

"Thank you mother." Regina said genuinely.

"When are you going to tell her you're her mother?" Cora asked

"I was going to tell her tonight, after her training." Regina responded.

"Good luck, dear." Cora said putting her hand on Regina's shoulder before leaving the kitchen.

* * *

Mandy was on her way home to get some clothes for her stay at Regina's. She was walking past the docks when she saw two people sitting on the edge. She recognized them as Henry and Tiger Lily. She began walking towards them when she saw them both lean in for a kiss. She stood there in shock for a minute. She soon regained her composure and walked closer to the pair. She crossed her arms and smiled.

"Well, Well. What do we have here?" She asked, her tone light. Henry and Tiger Lily broke apart quickly when they heard her voice.

"Young love perhaps?" Mandy asked.

"We're not…" Henry said before getting interrupted by Mandy. "You don't have to explain anything to me. What you two do is your business. But you guys are so cute together!" She giggled.

"It's not a..."Mandy put her hand up causing Henry to stop talking. "Henry, I don't care what you say. This _is_ a date, just admit it already!" Mandy said putting her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Tiger Lily asked trying to change the subject.

"I was on my way to get some clothes. I'm staying over Regina's for a lil while." She replied.

"Why are you staying with her?" Henry asked with a tad bit of jealousy in his voice.

Mandy caught the jealousy in his voice but didn't say anything. "She and Cora are going to help me get my magic under control."

"Cora's helping?" Henry asked shocked.

"Yea, she knows _a lot_ about magic. You sound worried." Mandy said noticing his scared tone.

"Nothing good comes from Cora's involvement." Henry said.

"Well she seems to be the only one, other than Regina, who can help me." She said frustrated.

"What about the Blue Fairy?" Henry asked.

"She's not good with dark magic. She won't be much help to me." Mandy said.

"How do you know it is dark magic?" Henry asked.

"Remember when you told me my last name means 'Falling Star'?" Mandy asked. Henry nodded.

"Well it turns out that is actually a thing and I am the 'Falling Star'. It's kinda like Emma being the Savior but not really."

"That doesn't make sense." Tiger Lily said.

"I don't have time to explain it right now but I will later" Mandy promised.

"Just be careful." Henry begged.

"Don't worry about me Henry. I'll be fine." She said before walking back to her house in the woods.

"What's wrong with Cora?" Tiger Lily asked.

"I just heard she's bad news."

"Well Mandy can hold her own in a fight. I'm sure she'll be fine." Tiger Lily reassured him.

"I hope so." He said before Tiger Lily pulled him into another kiss.

* * *

Mandy arrived at her house in the woods. She saw the three Lost Boys practicing their sword fighting and two others having a catch. She walked in expecting to see Peter sitting in his chair which was where he was.

"Hey Peter." She said walking over and kissing him. He pushed her away and stood up. Mandy didn't know what was going on.

"Peter, what's wrong?" She asked.

"You haven't been around lately. The boys miss you and so do I." He said angrily.

"I'm sorry Peter. I've been trying to control my magic. Regina and her mother agreed to train me. I'm only going to stay with them for a few days." She responded apologetically.

"You're staying with them now?" He yelled.

"Just until I get my magic under control. It shouldn't take long." She said stroking his bare chest, trying to calm him down.

"This is ridiculous! I miss spending time with you." He confessed.

"Let's make up for lost time then." She said wrapping her arms around his neck.

"That could work." He said picking her up and kissing her. He carried her over to the bed, not breaking their kiss. He gently laid her down and began undressing her. They didn't waste any time getting to what the other liked doing most. After they had both finished enjoying each other's company, they laid in bed breathing heavily.

"It's been a while." She whispered in his ear.

"Too long! We hadn't had sex since before the curse was broken." He whispered back.

"I know. Why did we wait that long?" She asked leaning on his chest. He put his arm around her, holding her close.

"I don't know but let's not wait that long again." He said kissing the top of her head.

"Agreed." She responded. They heard voices getting closer to the house.

"The boys are coming back. We should get dressed." She said trying to get up.

"I wish I could stay in bed with you all day." He said not letting her go.

"So do I." She said before giving him a kiss. "Now let me up. The boys are coming and I need to get back to Regina's." They both got up and just finished dressing when the boys came in.

They all ran over and began to crowd around her. "Mandy! When did you get back? We missed you!" Slightly exclaimed.

"A little while ago. I'm just getting clothes. I missed you all too!" She said trying to answer all their questions.

"Where are you going? You just got back." Nibs said.

"I'll be staying at the former mayor's house for a lil while but I will be back to visit of course!" She said not wanting to upset them. Peter whispered something in Cubby's ear. He quickly ran over to Mandy and wrapped his arms around her legs.

"I'm not letting you go!" Cubby declared. The rest of the Lost Boys followed his example and wrapped themselves around her.

"You're not going anywhere!" Nibs said. Mandy glared at Peter causing him to glare back at her before giving in.

"Okay boys. Mandy has to go now but she will be back…I'll make sure of it." He said giving her a wicked smile. The boys unwrapped themselves from her legs and stood up.

"Is that a threat or a promise?" She asked, returning the same smile.

"Does it matter?" He questioned, still smiling wickedly.

"Not really." She said before walking over to give him a kiss. The boys freaked out. They don't like when they kiss. They think it's gross.

"I'm going to pack now."

"Do you really have to go?" Tootles, the youngest boy asked.

She picked up the little boy and placed him on her hip. "I do but I'll make you all dinner. How does that sound?" She asked hoping that would satisfy them for now. They all let out screams and shouts in excitement.

"That satisfied them." Peter said grinning.

"Food always does." She said before getting started with dinner.

**I know this chapter wasn't action packed or full of information but I thought it was necessary. Let me know what you think! I look forward to your reviews.**


	10. Chapter 10 Training Isnt Fun Parties Are

**To answer your question EvilRegal: Daniel is Mandy's father**

Chapter 10: Training Isn't Fun but a Party Is

Mandy made the boys a nice early dinner before she packed her things and said her goodbyes. Peter offered to walk her to Regina's to spend more time together. They ran into Tiger Lily and Henry on their way back. He was walking her back to her tribe after their little date. Peter mentioned sword fighting lessons to Henry when he got back. Henry accepted with delight. The two couples parted ways. Peter intertwined his fingers in hers, swinging their hands back and forth as they walked. Peter told her about the high school party that was being thrown in the woods by the lake later that night. He really wanted to go but he wasn't going to attend unless she went as well. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea but after a little coercing from Peter, she finally caved in and agreed to go. They walked up to the front walk of the mansion and talked for a little before he cupped her face and pulled her into a hard kiss. She wrapped her hands around his neck kissing him back. Cora was watching from her bedroom window. They finally broke apart and Peter left. Mandy walked inside the house and headed straight to the guest room she was staying in.

"Look who finally came back." Cora said, stopping Mandy at the top of the stairs.

"I had to make the boys dinner and pack." She said, forcing a smile. "But I'm ready to start my training."

"Then we should begin right away. Put your things in your room and meet us in the back yard. I will get Regina." Mandy nodded and headed towards her room. "And no more distractions, especially from that boy." Cora shouted up the stairs.

Mandy ignored Cora, she wasn't going to stop seeing Peter just because she said so. She changed into more suitable clothes that she wouldn't mind if something happened to them. She put on a plain dark blue long sleeve shirt with black yoga pants and her gray boots. She put her hair in a long braid down her back so it wouldn't be in her way while she was practicing. She looked in the mirror for a moment. "This is it." She thought to herself. It would be the first time since the curse began that she would be using magic under the guidance of someone. The first being Rumplestiltskin and she didn't like the person she became and hoped this would go better.

* * *

Peter met up with Henry to teach him how to sword fight. He took Henry to an area in the woods, away from everything and everyone. He needed Henry to focus because sword fighting was dangerous, especially for an inexperienced fighter. Peter only showed him a few moves so Henry would get the hang of them before moving on to more complicated combinations. Henry was doing pretty well considering he only learned the moves and hour before. Henry had to get home for dinner so Peter decided to walk him home, he didn't have anything else to do. Henry invited him inside to meet Snow and David. Snow was setting the table when she noticed Henry brought a friend home.

"Who's this Henry?" Snow asked as David came down the stairs.

"This is Peter, Mandy's boyfriend." He replied.

"Nice to meet you." Said David, shaking Peter's hand.

"You too, sir."

"What have you two been up too?" She asked noticing their dirty clothes.

"He was teaching me how to sword fight." Henry said enthusiastically.

"I thought I was going to teach you?" David asked with a hurt look on his face. He was looking forward to spending time with his grandson, just the two of them.

"You were busy with work and all the town stuff…and Peter offered." Henry replied.

"He's getting really good, sir. I only taught him a few moves so if you want to continue his training, that's fine." Peter said.

"If you don't mind, I would like to." Said David. Snow noticed the anger rise in David's tone so she decided to change the topic.

"Would you like to stay for dinner, Peter?" She asked.

"No thanks, I already ate. I should get back anyway. Those boys can get into trouble pretty quickly." Peter said.

"I'll probably see you tomorrow when I visit Tiger Lily." Henry said. Snow and David exchanged smiles when Henry mentioned 'Tiger Lily'. They knew he liked her.

"Alright. It was nice meeting the two of you. I'll see you later Henry. Keep practicing." He said walking into the hall.

"I will." He said before shutting the door. When he turned around, Snow and David were staring at him with crossed arms.

"What?" Henry asked.

Snow arched her eyebrows, "How was your 'meeting' with Tiger Lily?"

"A lot of…fun." He said with a devious smile.

"What's that supposed to mean?" David asked.

"Oh nothing…" He said before running upstairs.

"Don't think you can avoid this subject forever! We are talking about this over dinner!" Snow shouted up to him.

* * *

Mandy walked into the back yard as she was adjusting her shirt. Cora and Regina were talking on the far side of the yard.

"What are we doing first?" Mandy shouted, placing her hands on her hips waiting for one of them to reply.

"She looks and acts just like you when you were her age." Cora whispered to Regina. Regina couldn't stop staring at her daughter across the yard. It was like looking in a mirror and seeing her younger self. It started to freak Regina out a little.

"Thank goodness she got your looks at not that stable boy's." Cora muttered. Regina quickly turned her head but before she could say anything Cora raised a fireball in her hand and threw it towards Mandy. All eyes were on Mandy to see what she would do. She dove out of the way at the last second. She wasn't expecting a fireball to come flying at her head.

"Mother! You could've really hurt her!" Regina said running over to Mandy who was still on the ground. "Are you okay?" she asked extending her hand to help Mandy up and rubbing the dirt off of her.

Mandy grabbed her hand and stood up. "What the hell was that for?" she shouted to Cora who hadn't moved from her spot across the yard.

"You have to be ready for anything and be on your guard. You never know what might come your way or who you'll be facing." Cora shouted back.

"Is she always like this?" Mandy whispered to Regina.

"You have no idea." She whispered back.

"Enough chatter! Let's see how powerful you really are little girl. Step away Regina." Cora yelled. Regina didn't move until she knew Mandy was okay with this. Cora threw another fireball in Mandy's direction. She deflected it, sending the fireball right back at Cora.

"Not bad for a little girl." Cora screamed.

"Stop calling me a little girl!" Mandy shouted back, sending an electric charge, almost like lightning, at Cora which she easily blocked.

"Is that all you can do, dear?" Cora asked laughing at her pathetic attempt at magic.

Regina recognized the anger that was building within Mandy. She felt it all the time when she was younger. Her mother was always berating her.

"Don't let her get to you. That is how your enemies will break your focus and your magic won't be as powerful." Regina said, coaching from the sidelines. Mandy nodded. Cora disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. She was gone for a few seconds when she popped up behind Mandy, causing her to spin around. She tried to get a spell out but Cora was too quick and sent her spiraling through the air, landing on her back. Regina put her face in her hands; she didn't want to watch this anymore. Mandy slowly picked herself up and faced Cora. Her eyes were glowing blue and rage filled her entire body.

"I thought Rumple would have taught you better than this." She said flatly, still instigating Mandy.

Mandy unleashed a blue looking type of magic that neither Regina nor Cora has ever seen before. Cora's purple magic was clashing with Mandy's blue magic, causing a big light show in Regina's back yard. Cora's magic was no match for Mandy's. She easily overpowered the older woman, causing Cora to fall to her knees in exhaustion. Regina ran over to her mother to see if she was okay. Mandy's eyes went back to normal. When she saw Cora was on the ground, she realized she might have hurt her. She ran over to them as Regina was helping Cora up.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you Cora, I didn't mean too. I don't know what came over me." She said grabbing Cora's other arm to help her up.

"You are very powerful when you get angry. Nice job by the way. My approval is not something I give away freely, but you've earned it." Cora said.

"Really?" Mandy asked.

"I don't think I ever received her approval or a compliment from her my entire life, so what does that tell you." Regina said flatly. Cora noted what her daughter had said but decided to bring it up another time.

"You don't seem to show how much power you have until your eyes turn blue. Your magic wasn't blue before and it was weak. That's definitely the Falling Star coming out." Cora said.

"I felt like I didn't have control when that happened. I don't like that feeling." Mandy said timidly.

"Well now that we know what you are capable of, we can focus on controlling your magic better. That will be next time." Cora said.

"Oh cool, we're done?" Mandy asked.

"For now." Cora said.

"I have to take a shower now before I go out, since I was rolling on the ground." She said sassily towards Cora before turning to head back in the house.

Regina grabbed her arm, causing Mandy to spin around. "You're going out tonight?"

"Yea, I'm going to some party. I shouldn't be back late though." Mandy said.

"Who will be attending this party?" Cora asked. "Any men of status?"

"No Cora, it's a high school party. Not a ball." Mandy replied.

"I'd rather you stay here." Regina said.

"No offense Regina but I don't need permission. I've been taking care of myself my entire life and I think I've done a pretty good job considering the circumstances life decided to deal me. So I'll see you later tonight if you are still awake when I come back." She said very diplomatically before walking into the house.

"You're just going to let her talk to you like that?" Cora hissed.

"I don't really have a say in the matter." Regina mumbled.

"Of course you do! You're her mother." Cora yelled.

"No, you took that away from me! I can't have her push me away before I even explain the situation to her. I'm letting her go to the party." She yelled back before storming into the house.

* * *

Mandy got a quick shower, threw on a pair of jeans, a nice shirt and her brown boots and headed towards the woods where the party was being held. She spotted Peter talking to some guys by the lake and waved at him. She paid for a cup a beer before heading over. Peter kissed her and then introduced her to his friends. They went through three kegs considering there were a little over fifty kids who showed up. It wasn't too crazy at first but after everyone had a few drinks, it got a little wild. Kids began jumping in the lake and running around.

"Wanna jump in?" Peter asked, nudging Mandy's elbow.

Mandy shook her head. "I don't want to ruin my outfit." She said taking a sip.

"Alright, have it your way." He picked her up and began running into the lake with Mandy yelling the entire way. He threw her in the water ignoring her screams. She swam up behind and started dunking him under the water until he managed to get free. It was 11pm when one of the guys blew up a beach ball and threw it into the large group that was in the water. They played for a while until some of the kids still on land warned them that they heard people coming and that they think it was the cops. Everyone was scrambling to get out of the water and grab their things. Most of them got away but 12 of them were caught by the police and brought back to the station, all of them soaking wet. They locked the kids, including Mandy and Peter, in the two cells. Four guys in one cell and eight girls in the other. David came through the door wondering why he got called in so late. The situation was explained to him.

"The kids are minors. We didn't know whether to keep them here over night because it's already 1am or call their parents now." Officer Prazo said.

"Call them now so they aren't worried all night." David replied.

"I'll get right on that, sir." Said Officer Prazo.

"Where are all the other officers?" David questioned.

"Their shifts were over. I'm the only on the night shift tonight." David nodded and looked over the kids in the cells. He first spotted Peter and then Mandy. He walked over to the middle of the two cells and called the two over.

"What were you thinking?" He asked.

"We were just having a good time David; don't go all parental on us!" Mandy hissed.

"You are all underage. You can't be doing this." David replied.

"We _are_ technically legal in our own world." Peter pointed out.

"Well we aren't in our world are we?" David said rhetorically.

"All of their parents have been called except for these two." Officer Prazo said pointing to Mandy and Peter.

"That's because we don't have parents. We take care of ourselves." Peter yelled.

"We can't release you without a guardian's signature." Officer Prazo replied forcefully.

"Well that's never going to happen!" Peter sighed, throwing his hands in the air. David tapped the officer on the shoulder and they made their way to the other side of the room.

"Let me call Snow real quick." David said. He called home and Henry picked up.

"Henry? What are you doing up this late? You have school tomorrow." David said.

"I got hungry." He said simply.

"Where's Snow?" David asked. Henry put Snow on the phone.

"What's wrong David?" Snow asked concerned.

"A few teens were locked up for underage drinking, two of them being Peter and Mandy."

"Really? I wouldn't expect that from them." Snow replied shocked.

"Me neither, but we have a problem…" David said, his voice trailing off.

"What?" Snow asked.

"We can't release them because they are under age and they don't have parents or guardians. They live by themselves."

"So you want to take Mandy and Peter home with you?" She said more of a statement rather than a question.

"Why don't you call Regina?" Henry suggested.

"Henry? How…you're on the other phone aren't you?" Snow questioned.

"Why would we call Regina?" David hissed.

"Mandy is staying with her and Cora so she can learn how to control her magic." Henry replied.

"Mandy has magic?!" Snow and David asked in unison.

"Ohh…I wasn't supposed to mention that….I'm just gonna go now." He said quickly, realizing his mistake and hung up the phone.

"I don't like this Daivd." Snow said worried.

"Neither do I." David admitted.

"They are going to bring her to the dark side, we need to stop this." Snow sighed.

"How are we going to do that?" David asked.

"I don't know at the moment, but I'll think about it. When Mandy was over, did you notice how eerily similar Mandy resembled Regina?"

"No, was there a resemblance?" David asked.

"You are so oblivious!" Snow said.

"Do you think she is starting to act like Regina because she is spending too much time with her?" David questioned.

"Henry, has Mandy stayed with Regina long?" Snow asked.

"Like a day." He replied.

"That's not why David. I think she _looks_ like Regina when she was younger and sounds like her at certain times." Snow said.

"What are you saying? That Mandy is Regina's daughter?" David exclaimed but lowered his voice so no one would hear him.

"I'm not positive but she did have a daughter that supposedly died in the beginning of her marriage." Snow confessed.

"This is getting too weird for me. What should I do then?" He asked.

"Call Regina and tell her Mandy is there and needs to be released to a guardian and that Henry suggested her." Snow said.

"Okay. I guess I'll bring Peter back with me. He's not going to be too happy about it though." David said.

"Well it's either stay in jail or come with you, he decides." She replied.

"I'll see what he wants to do. I'll be home soon." He said.

"David! Don't mention anything about Regina being her mother or anything like that!" Snow said before they hung up the phone.

He called Regina and she was there in minutes. Mandy was shocked to see Regina walk through the door. She signed a few papers and the officer let Mandy out. David told Peter to pick either jail or home with him. Mandy told him to go home with David, so he listened to her but was not pleased. Other parents started to arrive to pick up their kids. Mandy followed Regina out to her car and got in the front seat. Regina hadn't said a word to her yet. Mandy didn't know what Regina was thinking and she was a little nervous for when Regina did talk.

"Regina, I had no idea he called you. You didn't have to come down here and get me." Mandy whispered, her voice shaking.

"I know I didn't, but you wouldn't have been released otherwise." She replied.

"Thank you." She whispered, keeping her head down staring at her hands that were resting in her lap.

"What were you thinking? You're so young and you all could've been hurt or…"

"I know" Mandy interrupted. "I'm sorry. Can we talk quietly? I have a headache."

Regina stared at her. "How much did you have to drink?"

"Like three, four cups total...I think" She admitted. Regina sighed.

"The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint you. I'm also sorry for the way I acted early. I shouldn't have said that to you." Mandy said quietly but sincerely.

"It's okay." Regina replied.

"No it's not. You've been really nice to me and I've just caused trouble for you. If you don't want me staying with you anymore, I completely understand. I'm not worth the trouble." She said putting her head back down.

"Don't be silly. You're coming home with me whether you want to or not. You don't feel well and we have to finish your training. I am your legal guardian after signing those papers" Regina said, forcing a smile.

"I will make it up to you, I promise." Mandy whispered.

"Just don't tell my mother about this." Regina warned.

"I won't be bringing this up, don't worry!" Mandy said before resting her head on the window as they began to drive back to the house.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm sorry it took me long to write it. I'm in the middle of finals. Let me know what you think, reviews are appreciated and welcomed!**


	11. Chapter 11Parents

**I managed to get this chapter up pretty quickly. Hope you all are still enjoying!**

Chapter 11: Parents

_**The Next Day**_

Cora was in the kitchen eating breakfast when Regina walked in, still wearing her pajamas.

"I see you still like to sleep the day away, Regina." Cora said before taking a bite of her scrambled eggs. "You know how I feel about wasting time."

"Yes Mother. How could I forget? You told me every day." She said as she got a bowl out of the cabinet for her cereal.

"What time did you go to bed?" Cora asked.

"I waited until Miranda got home, which was around one." She replied, not giving too much away.

"Then why did I see you and Miranda getting out of the car and her in wet clothes?"

"Don't worry about it, Mother." She shot back. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Cora.

"Did you tell her about her parents?" Cora asked.

"Not yet." She sighed. "I didn't get a chance to last night." She said as she poured the milk into her cereal.

"Regina, you have to do it today. No exceptions!" Cora said firmly.

"I'm going to do this my way, Mother." She said before grabbing her bowl of cereal and heading back to her room.

"You're not going to eat in your room, are you?" Cora shouted.

"I'm not in the mood to listen to you, Mother. It's too damn early." She shouted back.

"Well it's not lady like." She mumbled to herself before continuing to eat her breakfast.

* * *

After she finished her bowl of cereal, Regina decided to get dressed and talk to Mandy. She put on a dark red dress with a black blazer and black heels. She knocked on the door and when she didn't hear a response, she opened the door and peered in. Mandy was still sleeping. Regina walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Miranda." She whispered, rubbing her back to wake her up. "Miranda, dear, wake up."

Mandy grunted, not wanting to be disturbed from her slumber. "Miranda, I have to talk to you."

"What?" She whined, still half asleep.

"It's important." She said.

"It can't wait till I'm fully functioning again?" Mandy questioned. "I was up half the night throwing up."

"Maybe next time you won't drink and get yourself arrested." Regina shot back. "Now get up! You're going to want to listen to this."

Mandy sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Okay, okay. I'm up. What is so important?" She asked, leaning on the backboard of the bed.

Regina began to tell her story once Mandy was settled."The day before Daniel was killed I found out I was 3 weeks pregnant. He was so happy when I told him about the baby, but my mother had other plans. I married the King and I was going to pretend the baby was his but Cora found out it wasn't King Leopold's."

"You woke me up to tell me a story?" Mandy interrupted. "I mean, I feel bad and everything but why was this so important?"

"If you'd let me finish, you'll find out." Regina hissed.

"Fine. Go on." She sighed.

"She stole my baby and said she died; only Cora was lying. She placed my daughter on the doorstep of the Randell household." Regina said staring into Mandy's big brown eyes.

"What?!" Mandy asked in a low voice.

"That baby was you, dear." Regina whispered. Mandy was speechless. There were so many thoughts and emotions going through her head at once.

"I know this is a big shock to you, it was for me too." Regina admitted.

"Why did you wait so long to tell me?" She asked.

"I was trying to find the right time." Regina replied. Mandy got up and walked over to the window, crossing her arms in front of her. Regina got up and walked up behind her but kept her distance.

"Your father is the one that chose the name Miranda. He couldn't wait to be a father." Regina whispered. Tears started to roll down Mandy's face.

"He loved you very much, as do I. I know it will take some time to get used to but I hope we can develop a better relationship." Regina said sincerely. Mandy had been waiting for this moment her entire life. She always wanted to meet her mother but she wasn't expecting this.

"When did you find all of this out?" Mandy asked, still facing the window.

"The night I first met you. I was livid when Cora told me what she did! I wanted to raise you and watch you grow up." She replied softly.

Mandy turned to face Regina, tears on her cheeks clearly visible. "This is a lot to take in right now."

"I know it's a lot to process."

"I can't believe this is really happening right now. I finally get to meet you." Mandy said smiling. "I've been dreaming of this moment my whole life." She said, wiping away her tears.

Regina stepped a little closer. "Are you okay, dear?"

"Yea, sorry. I'm a mess." Mandy replied.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." She said, putting her hand on Mandy's cheek.

"Were you disappointed when you found out I was you're daughter?" Mandy asked, still crying.

Regina smiled before responding. "Not in the least. I'm so proud of you and I admire your courage and strength. I am truly grateful to have you as my daughter." She whispered, beginning to cry herself. Mandy cried even harder and didn't resist when Regina pulled her into a tight hug. Mandy cried into her shoulder until she calmed down a little bit. Regina was so happy to be holding her daughter the way she always imagined. They both waited a long time for this.

* * *

Henry was at school and David was at work, leaving Peter and Snow at home. He slept most of the day because of the night before. When he finally got up, he wasn't too happy about his current living situation.

"Morning, Peter!" Snow said with an upbeat attitude.

"Oh no, you're one of _those_ people." He whined.

"One of _those_ people?" She asked, wondering what he meant.

"Always bright and cheerful in the morning." He replied as he sat down at the counter.

"It's the afternoon. You slept all morning."

"Do you have anything to eat? I'm starving." Peter asked.

"Yea, help yourself. I'm going to the store now to pick up a few more things before Emma and Neal get back. Henry should be home from school soon." She said putting on a light jacket.

"Who's Neal?" Peter questioned.

"He is Mr. Gold's son. I don't know if he is staying here or with him. Hopefully with Gold because we don't have any more room in this apartment. I'll see you later Peter, and don't leave. If you want to go out, just tell us first." She said before leaving.

"This sucks!" He shouted in the empty apartment. "I hate this!" He needed to get out of there but he decided to wait until Henry got home.

* * *

Mandy told Regina that she needed some time to herself and she understood. With Mandy out of the house, she could talk to Cora.

"I told her." She said walking into the kitchen.

"And…" Cora said.

"She's still processing it. She said she needed some time to think." Regina said sitting at the kitchen table.

"You didn't expect her to start calling you 'mommy' right away, did you?" Cora said almost teasing.

Regina ignored her. "I want to get Rumple's dagger."

Cora was happy Regina was back on board with her plan but she was intrigued to know what changed her mind. "Why the change of heart?

"What he did to Miranda, basically corrupting her. I just can't get it out of my head. Not that you were any better." She replied.

"We could use it to get Henry back as well." Cora said, making Regina even more interested than she was before.

"Where do we begin?" Regina asked.

* * *

Regina and Cora were searching for Rumple's dagger in the library after Regina found something amongst Belle's things while she was in the hospital. Hook decided to join since he wanted Rumple dead as well. They found a map that was supposed to lead them to the dagger. Hook pointed them in the right direction, thinking he was going to come with them. Cora flicked her wrist, sending him flying into the bookcase after he began to yell in protest. They left him lying on the floor and headed to the woods to dig for the dagger. Snow was talking to Johanna when she heard a weird noise coming from the woods. She tip-toed so she wouldn't make too much noise. She observed Regina and Cora talking and found out their plan to get the dagger. She instantly ran to the station to warn David. Emma texted the information they had asked for and went immediately to the top of the clock tower when a puff of purple smoke engulfed the room. Regina and Cora appeared as the smoke began to dissipate.

"Cora." Snow said realizing who showed up.

"You're too late!" David yelled.

"Actually, it seems that we found you just in time." Cora said flashing a devious smile.

"Regina, pick your side carefully. Good _always_ wins." Snow said to Regina, trying to change her mind.

"I think the day has finally come, my darling Snow, for you to learn a _long_ overdue lesson." Cora interrupted before Regina could even think about what Snow had said. Cora made Johanna appear, standing between her and Regina.

"Johanna!" Snow said when she realized who it was.

"You see in the end, it isn't good or evil who wins, but power." As soon as she finished her sentence, Regina plunged her hand into Johanna's chest pulling out her heart, causing Snow to gasp and Johanna to scream out in pain.

"Your choice." Regina said flatly holding the heart in her hand.

"Don't harm her. She has nothing to do with this!" Snow said trying to reason with them.

"Of course she does." Answered Cora.

"Don't give it to them Snow!" Johanna yelled.

"Quiet!" Cora screamed at her. David pulled his gun and pointed it at Cora.

"Mother, watch out!" Regina shouted. With a flick of her wrist, the gun went flying over the railing. Regina tightened her grip on the heart.

"Enough of this. Surrender the dagger. We all know you'll follow your mother's example no matter what the cost. All she ever wanted was for you to be _good_." Cora said almost mockingly.

Snow looked at Cora with recognition in her eyes. "Those words…where did you hear them?"

"Where do you think?" Cora replied knowing Snow already knew the answer.

"The Blue Fairy made me never to speak those words again. Not because it was a secret but because it wasn't her." Snow said realizing it was actually Cora all those years ago.

"The dagger dear." Cora said as she held out her hand.

"She didn't give me that candle, you did. My mother wasn't sick at all was she?" Snow yelled.

"Oh she was quite sick." Cora said smiling wickedly.

"You. Did. All. Of. This. You killed my mother!" Snow cried. Regina looked at her mother when she realized Cora set this plan in motion way before King Leopold came through their part of the land.

"Actually, the candle would've worked. You could've saved her." Cora admitted.

"But you knew I wouldn't. Why? Why did you take her from me?" Snow cried.

"To make my daughter the Queen." Cora simply replied. Regina looked to her mother with sadness in her eyes. That's all she ever wanted was for her to become Queen but suddenly came back to reality.

"Hand over the dagger." Regina said forcefully.

No. No! I will not let you win, not again!" Snow screamed.

"You already lost your mother. How many connections to her do you have left? Not many I'd wager." Cora said trying to convince Snow to give up the dagger.

"If we give up the dagger, we can still win." David whispered.

"Let me go Snow. It's alright." Johanna said. Regina tightened her grip on her heart once more, causing Johanna to be silenced and gasp in agony.

"What would she say if she could see you now? If she wasn't _dead_." Cora said giving one last sting to Snow. Regina tightened her grip even more.

"Dagger, dear." Cora said putting out her hand. Snow threw the dagger down and was on her knees. Regina loosened her grip and Johanna's face relaxed. Cora now had the dagger in her possession.

"Such a good girl." Cora crooned.

"You have what you wanted." Snow said. Cora and Regina exchanged glances before Regina put Johanna's heart back in her chest. She then ran to hug Snow.

"Not quite." Cora said flicking her wrist and sending Johanna out the window, hitting the ground hard. Snow, David and Regina were all shocked and couldn't believe what just happened. Snow and David looked down at the lifeless body of Johanna. She was dead. Snow broke down in David's arms and cupped her mouth, not wanting to let a sob escape her.

"Well…there ya go. You see where _good_ gets you." Regina said before purple smoke filled the room that transported Regina and Cora back to her house. David held Snow in his arms as she cried deeply into his shoulder.

* * *

Peter was watching TV when Henry came home from school. He joined Peter on the couch and told him about his day. He didn't really go to school, he snuck out to see Tiger Lily. Henry then asked Peter what happened the night before so he proceeded to tell the younger boy. As soon as he finished, the door opened and Emma walked in.

"Emma!" Henry yelled with excitement as he ran over to hug her.

"Hey kid!" She said hugging him back. "Were you good for Snow and David?

Yea…for the most part." He responded.

"What do you mean? Where are they anyway?" She asked.

"I don't know. I just got home from school. Peter, do you know where they are?" Emma _just_ noticed this random teenager sitting on the couch.

"David is at work and Snow said she was going food shopping but that was a while ago." Peter replied.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Emma asked wanting to know who this stranger was.

"His name is Peter." Henry said.

"As in, Peter Pan?" She asked. Henry nodded. "Of course he is!" She said.

"David and Snow are his legal guardians as of last night. He got caught drinking and he has no parents. He is also Mandy's boyfriend." Henry said, trying to explain why he was here.

"Who's Mandy?" Emma asked.

"My friend. I met her the day you left. She also got caught drinking but she's staying with Regina." Henry replied.

"What the hell has been going on since I left?" Emma asked.

"They should really consider putting elevators in this building. It would be a lot easier." Neal said struggling with his and Emma's luggage.

"Is that Gold's son?" Henry asked Emma.

"Henry, we need to talk." Emma said, knowing she had to tell Henry the truth.

"What is it?" Henry questioned.

She just had to blurt it out. "This…is your dad." She said pointing to Neal.

"But you said he died in a fire." Henry said.

"You told him I died?" Neal asked, kinda freaking out.

"I had a good reason." She said to Neal in a frustrated tone.

"And what was that?" Henry asked, wanting to know the truth.

"Look Henry, I never thought I'd see him again. I never wanted to." Emma replied kneeling down to his level.

"Why not?" questioned Henry.

"It was a part of my life that I wanted to forget." She responded.

"You lied to me. You're just like Regina, always lying." He said running out the door.

"Henry, I'm sorry!" she screamed after him.

* * *

Henry was upset with Emma for lying to him, He didn't know what to think anymore. He didn't know where he was going but he just kept running. He soon found himself at the docks. He saw someone sitting on the edge and realized it was Mandy. Finally, someone he could talk to, he thought.

"Hey, mind if I sit?" He asked making her jump.

"Oh Henry, you scared me." She said.

"Sorry to interrupt. You seemed like you were deep in thought." He said sitting down next to her.

"I have a lot on my mind." She didn't know whether or not to tell him about Regina being her mom. "Why are you out of breath?"

"I ran here. Emma just got back." He said still trying got catch his breath.

"Then why are you here if she just got back?" She asked.

"She lied to me. He told me he died but he didn't. I wasn't ready to talk to him. It turns out that he is Mr. Gold's son." He said.

"But then that means…" Mandy said before Henry finished her thought. "Gold's my grandfather." Henry said. The thought made Mandy shudder.

"This whole thing is just getting crazy." She said.

"What are you talking about?" Henry questioned.

"I found out earlier today that Regina is my mother." Mandy said staring out into the ocean.

"What?" Henry exclaimed.

"I know. I'm still processing it." She responded.

"But that means…" Henry said before Mandy interrupted. "Cora's my grandmother."

"I guess we _both_ have dark and twisted grandparents."Henry said. Mandy laughed realizing how crazy both of their lives were.

"That we do my friend. But it also makes you and I brother and sister in a way, since Regina adopted you and all." She said, trying to make it seem positive.

"Well, something good did come from this messed up family tree after all." He said smiling.

"We'll help each other deal with our crazy family issues." She said putting her arm around Henry, like any good older sister would.

"Wait, you said Emma's home…that means Gold's home too!" She realized.

"Yea…so what?" He asked.

"I have to go see him. I owe him a favor and he said to stop by when he got back from his trip so he could tell me what it is I have to do." She said.

"You owe him a favor?!" He exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, yes." She said nervously. "It's not something I want to do, trust me."

**Let me know what you think. I appreciate your reviews! Hope you enjoyed.**


	12. Chapter 12 The Favor

Chapter 12: The Favor

Mandy left Henry at the dock. He wasn't ready to go back home yet. She took her time walking to Gold's shop. She didn't want to do this favor for him, whatever it was, and she was nervous. She finally arrived at Gold's and took a deep breath before walking in. The little bell went off when she walked into the shop. Gold heard the bell and appeared from the back.

"Corinne, I've been expecting you." Gold said walking in front of the glass counter.

"I go by Miranda now." She said standing in the middle of the store.

"You like your Storybrooke name better I see." Gold said.

"Let's cut the small talk and get on with it." Miranda said folding her arms across her chest.

"Feisty. Just like your mother. You're staying with her I hear. I'm guessing Regina informed you." Gold said leaning against one of the glass cases.

"You knew who my mother was this entire time, haven't you? _That's_ why you decided to train me." She said realizing her meeting him wasn't by chance.

"Well look who's putting the pieces together." He responded.

"Why did you do it?" She asked.

"Which part, dearie?" He asked back.

"Why did you teach my grandmother in the first place?" She questioned.

"Oh, she wanted it dearie. She wanted the power, just like you and your mother before you. See a pattern?" He paused letting her think about it for a minute before continuing. "But Cora…She went to great lengths for it."

"What do you mean?" She asked curious to what he was getting at.

"She ripped her own heart out for power." He said rather bitterly. "Her heart was stopping her from what she wanted."

"Who did she love?" She inquired.

"Don't worry about it, dearie. It was a thing of the past." He responded not wanting to relive the past.

"It was you, wasn't it?!" She said as a fact more than a question. Gold's silence confirmed her theory.

"That's just…eww." The thought sent shivers down her spine. "What price did she have to pay for your teaching her?"

"She got out of the deal, but don't think I can be fooled again. You will do me this favor." He responded.

"And what _exactly_ does this favor entail?" She wanted to know.

"Nothing too extreme. I just need you to kill Henry for me." He said simply.

"What? Why?!" She yelled in shock.

"He is in the way. I was told by a seer that a boy would be my undoing and _he_ is that boy." He responded.

"But that could mean anything! He doesn't have to die and I am _certainly not_ going to kill him" She shouted at him.

"Oh yes you _are_, dearie. You are going to rip his heart out and crush it." He said making a fist. "You remember how, don't you?" he said as he stood in front of her.

"How could I forget that…" Her voice trailing off.

"It needs to be done by tomorrow night." He said.

"I never said I was doing it." She shot back.

"You must." He said getting in her face.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" She asked knowing that would probably be the outcome if she didn't kill Henry.

"No, not you…your mother." He said wickedly.

As soon as he said those words, her mouth dropped and she got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. "But I…"

Gold interrupted. "Just met her? Started to get to know her? Well she will be taken away from you in a blink of an eye if you don't do this." He said threateningly.

"You're unbelievable!" She screamed.

"I believe the appropriate word is tricky." He said circling her. "You are going to lose the only family you ever had. Do you really want that to happen?" He asked trying to convince her to kill Henry.

A slight tear began rolling down Mandy's cheek. "Regina would never forgive me if I killed Henry."

"Well she doesn't have to know it was you, dearie." He suggested.

"But he's my friend too!" She argued.

"Sounds like you have something to think about." He was standing in front, towering over her. "Midnight tomorrow is the deadline. Choose wisely." He advised.

"If you want him dead so badly, why don't _you_ kill him?" She hissed.

"Why would I do it when I have someone who can do my bidding for me?" He answered happily. She turned and headed for the door, wiping her tears that she tried desperately to hold back.

"Oh, there is one more thing." Mandy stopped but didn't turn around. "You can't tell anyone about this." Mandy put her head down and walked out into the brisk April air, leaving Gold standing in the middle of the shop. Moments after she walked out Hook came up behind him, spun Gold around and stabbed him in the chest with his hook.

"Finally got you, Crocodile." Hook said standing over him. He then walked out the front door like nothing happened, leaving Gold lying on the floor.

* * *

Emma decided to get to know this kid who was now living with them. She had nothing better to do while she waited for Neal to get out of the shower and for Henry, Snow and David to come back. She couldn't think of anything to say so she thought back to the actual movie, _Peter Pan. _She sat on the couch across from Peter.

"So…how was Neverland?" She asked actually curious about the land.

"Okay…" He replied not wanting to get into a conversation with her.

"Good. Good… Is it hard to fly?" She inquired. "Cuz it looked kinda hard in the movie."

"At first, but you get used to it after a while. I really miss flying." He admitted.

"I bet! There's no traffic in the air." She said trying to make a joke but he didn't laugh. "So…what's the deal with this Mandy girl? I thought you were with Wendy."

As soon as Emma said 'Wendy', a rush of memories filled his brain at once. He remembered everything from when he first met Wendy to the fight he had with Mandy over her. He was mad and needed to talk to her right away. Emma noticed the sudden change in Peter.

"Are you okay kid?" She asked leaning closer, examining Peter's face. Peter jumped off the couch and headed for the door. "I'll be fine when I talk to Miranda." He yelled leaving the door open when he walked out.

"Was it something I said?" Emma screamed after him. David and Snow came through the door to her surprise.

"There you two are!" She said when she saw who came through the door.

"Emma!" Snow yelled and ran over to her to give her a hug, followed by David. Emma hugged them back but quickly broke the hug to ask questions she's been dying to know the answer to.

"What the hell is going on? You're adopting random teenagers now? And what's the deal with this dagger?" Emma asked impatiently.

"We don't have it. Regina and Cora showed up and took the dagger from us." David confessed.

"What?! How?" Emma asked confused as to how the scene unfolded.

"They had Johanna, your mother's ladies maid when she was younger. They took her hostage until we gave them the dagger." David said.

"So I'm assuming you gave them the dagger to save this woman?" Emma asked.

"Only we didn't save her." Snow said sadly.

"Cora killed her anyway. We were just burying her." David finished.

"Wow." Emma said in shock. "Wait! Isn't there a girl who is staying with Regina? Shouldn't we save her?"

Snow shook her head. "Mandy has magic apparently. We think Cora and Regina are training her to be on their side."

"We should do something before the girl turns completely dark. She's Henry's friend." Emma argued.

"And Regina's daughter." a small voice added from behind. They all turned to see Henry standing in the doorway.

"Are you sure?" David asked.

"She told me herself." Henry said.

"So it _is_ true." Snow said realizing she was right.

"You knew?!" Emma asked shocked.

"I guessed." Snow admitted. "I was there when she was born. She's my half-sister."

"There are no words to describe how messed up this family tree is." Emma exclaimed.

"Speaking of family, did you tell him?" Snow whispered just in case Emma didn't tell Henry yet.

"I told Henry and Neal is upstairs taking a shower." Emma said.

"Are you okay kid?" David asked putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm still mad at you Emma." He said before going upstairs.

"I'm sorry!" She yelled up.

"He'll get over it. We have a bigger problem." Snow said eagerly.

"And what's that?" Emma asked.

"Cora and Regina have Gold's dagger. They can control him to do whatever they want." Snow said in a hurry.

"We need to stop them somehow." Emma exclaimed.

"They will probably go to Gold's shop. We should get there before they do so we can prepare as best we can." David suggested.

"We have to wait for Neal; it is his father ya know. And we need to drop Henry off at Granny's so Ruby can watch him. I don't want him around this." Emma said. They all agreed.

* * *

Mandy walked around aimlessly, thinking about the decision she would have to make. Henry was such a good friend and he was only a kid, she didn't want to kill him, not to mention Regina would kill her for killing her son. On the other hand, she just met her mother and she wanted to get to know her better and possibly fill the void in her heart that was missing from living a life without a family. She was too busy contemplating her decision to notice the tears running down her face. She walked into the house and headed quickly for the stairs, hoping to avoid Regina and Cora. She just began to climb the stairs when she heard yelling so she decided to get a little closer and listen in on the conversation. She stayed hidden behind a wall outside of the kitchen.

"Why did you have to kill that woman? You got the dagger." Regina yelled.

"I thought I'd cause Snow White a little more pain. She caused you so much." Cora said.

"You started it. You killed her mother. How come you didn't tell me about your history with Snow's mother?" Regina asked.

"I spared you that burden, like any good parent would do." Cora said.

"You didn't think I deserved to know _exactly_ what it took for me to become Queen?" Regina questioned.

"Now you know." Cora simply replied.

"That day at the stables when I rescued her, that wasn't an accident, was it? You made sure I'd be in the pastures when Snow road past. You had to make sure that when I met Snow White, her father would be searching for a new Queen." Regina said realizing this whole thing was her mother's doing.

"And what does this knowledge change for you?" Cora asked.

Regina sighed. "I hated that marriage! I didn't want to become Queen. I wanted to be with Daniel and raise a family together." The thought of what her family could've been made Mandy shed a tear.

"I wasn't going to let you marry below your own status, Regina." Cora said flatly.

Regina sighed again. She wasn't up for a fight with her mother. "Well you've won mother. I _am_ the Queen. And if that's what you wanted, why do you need Rumplestiltskin's dagger?"

"You're worried my interests are no longer aligned with yours." Cora said.

"My only interest now is Henry. Since I already have one child back, I want my other one." Regina admitted.

"And I've told you, you'll have him." Cora replied.

"But how?" Now that Snow and David know we have the dagger, we can't use Gold to kill them without Henry knowing." Regina pointed out.

"Have patience, my love. By the time Rumplestiltskin returns, Emma Swan and the rest of them will be nothing but a vaguely unpleasant memory…and Henry will be yours." Cora said.

Mandy decided to make her presence known. "Emma and Gold are back, ya know."

"How long have you been standing there? "Regina asked.

"Long enough." She said answering Regina's question. "I can't believe you chose power over love." She said to Cora.

"Where did you hear that?" Cora asked.

"Runplestiltskin. You loved him, that's why you had to rip your own heart out." Mandy blurted out.

"You loved him?" Regina asked disgusted.

"It was a thing of the past." Cora said simply.

"Ew. I don't think I want to know." Regina admitted. "Why were you at Gold's in the first place?"

"I had to speak with him about certain matters." She said trying to sound like she wasn't nervous.

"What's your side of the deal?" Cora asked knowing all too well that that is why she went there.

"How do you even know I made a deal with him?" Mandy questioned as though that wasn't the reason she was there.

"Because that is what he does. He taught you magic and I imagine it didn't come for free." Regina declared.

"That's for sure." Mandy mumbled.

"So what does he want you to do?" Cora asked again.

Mandy looked at them shyly. "I…I can't tell you."

"Why not?" Regina asked.

"It was part of the deal." Mandy confessed.

"Of course it was." Cora said aggravated.

She tried to hold her tears back. "I really don't want to do it. I really don't." Mandy said on the verge of crying. Regina wrapped her arms around Mandy and held her tight. "Don't worry, dear. We have a plan to take care of Gold. You won't have to go through with this deal." She said more interested in Cora's plan.

"We have to complete it before midnight tomorrow." She whispered still hugging Regina.

"Oh, we will. Believe me." Cora said determined.

"So what's the plan?" Mandy asked as Regina wiped away her tears.

**Well I hope you liked this chapter. I was wondering how you all felt about Cora. Do you want her to die or would you rather her live? I can't decide so I need your help! Please review!**


	13. Chapter 13 The Battle Begins

**That OUAT Finale was amazing! Thank you to those who answered my Cora question. I have taken them all into consideration.**

Chapter 13: The Battle Begins

Regina and Cora were about to tell Mandy the plan but doorbell rang. Mandy was the closest to the door so she went to answer it. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see who it was standing on the other side.

"Peter! What are you doing here?" She asked with a smile on her face. She was happy to see him.

"We need to talk Miranda." He said angrily, nudging past her without being invited in.

"What's wrong Peter?" She asked shutting the door and turning to face him.

"I remember everything, Miranda. Our time in Neverland with Wendy. You tried to kill her!" His voice raising with every word.

"Whoa, Peter! Calm down. Can we talk about this later? I was just about to…"

He cut her off. "No we can't talk about this later. You weren't going to bring up her name at all. You wanted to pretend like nothing ever happened and your perfect life." He screamed. Cora and Regina heard shouting and decided to eavesdrop.

"You never let me explain myself. You just assumed _I_ was the evil one!" She screamed back.

"You are! You're the one who tried to kill her!" He yelled, his is voice louder than before.

"Only after she tried to kill me!" She screamed trying to explain herself.

"Stop lying Miranda! I'm so sick of you lying to me."

"I'm not lying Peter! Ask Tink, she was there when it all happened." She said trying to get Peter to believe her.

"Oh, don't bring Tinkerbell into this. You knew what you were doing when you brought Wendy to the mermaid lagoon." He said disgusted.

"She suggested it! If you'd just let me explain, I can…"

He interrupted. "Save it! Did you even have feelings for me or was that just a ruse too?"

"You were the only one I ever loved. Peter! I still love you." She whispered as she put her arms on his chest.

He pushed her away, not wanting any contact with her. "I could never love someone who has evil and hatred in their heart." He said angrily. His words made Mandy and Regina wince. Regina couldn't listen to this boy rip apart her daughter's heart. She decided it was time to intervene and stepped out from behind the wall.

"That's enough!" Regina yelled. "I will not have you come into my house and say those horrible things to my daughter. I think you should go now!"

"Don't worry; I was just one my way out." He said to Regina then turned back to face Mandy. "Get your stuff out of my place. We're done."

"But Peter …" The door slammed before she could get another word out.

* * *

After Neal got out of the shower, they dropped off Henry with Ruby so he would stay safe and out of the crossfire. They walked into the shop and saw Gold lying on the floor. Neal rushed over to him first, followed by the rest of Charming family.

"Papa! Papa what happened?" Neal asked as he held Gold in his arms.

"Hook…he stabbed me." He said breathing heavily.

"What's that green stuff coming out?" Emma asked with a confused and disgusted look on her face.

"I think it's poison." Snow suggested.

"It is…" Gold managed to get out.

"We need to move him to a couch, somewhere comfortable." David said.

"In the back…" Gold told them.

They moved him to the back of the shop and tried to get him comfortable. They were all going to prepare for Cora and Regina's arrival but Gold stopped Snow before she could leave. He asked her to get another blanket from a cabinet. When she opened it, she found the candle that the Blue Fairy had given to her when she was a young girl. She asked Gold why he had it, he simply replied, "For a rainy day." He tossed around the idea of Snow killing Cora with the use of the candle and Cora's heart in order to save him. She left not knowing what she would choose to do.

* * *

Soon after Peter left, Cora, Regina and Mandy teleported to Regina's office. Cora was pacing back and forth while Mandy and Regina were sitting by the desk. Mandy had her head on the table, thinking about what happened earlier with Peter.

"Mother, will you stop walking back and forth. We need to re-evaluate this plan." Regina said frustrated.

Cora stopped to face Regina, who was sitting behind the desk. "I'm thinking, Regina. They know we have the dagger and plan to attack Rumplestiltskin."

"So how do we get Henry back and stop Miranda from having to do this favor?" Regina questioned.

Cora began pacing again. "Still thinking. Feel free to help out any time, you two." She said sarcastically.

"We are." Regina responded.

"Miranda seems to be napping, not thinking." Cora observed.

"I can hear you." Mandy mumbled, still keeping her head on the table.

"Leave her alone, Mother." Regina said aggravated.

"Rumplestiltskin's smart, and now he has time to think and prepare." Cora said getting back to the plan. Mandy lifted her head but was leaning on her hands, staring at the dagger in front of her.

"Then shouldn't we go now?" Regina asked. Mandy noticed Rumplestiltskin's name on the dagger slowly disappear. She picked it up to examine it closer.

"I think he's injured." Mandy suggested. Cora walked over and Mandy handed the knife to her. She took a closer look at it and realized what was going on.

"More than injured. He's dying." She said looking up at Regina.

"That's good right? We won't have to kill him and I won't have to do this favor." Mandy pointed out.

"When his name disappears, all of that power of his will just boil off into the air, and there will be no new Dark One." Cora said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Mandy noticed.

"Okay, so we have to get Henry back before he dies." Regina said standing up and walking around her desk. Mandy continued to sit in the chair, preoccupied by the ring Peter had given her a little after the curse was cast.

"Not in his condition. I don't want to kill him faster. No, there are no other options. I have to stab him with this knife and take his power as my own. I have to become the Dark One…" Cora said realizing what had to happen. This caught Mandy's attention. She got up and walked over to stand next to Regina.

"And with his power, there's nothing I won't be able to do." Cora finished her thought.

"But Henry's never going to forgive that, and the whole point of this is to…" Regina's voice began to trail off when she realized Cora might have an ulterior motive. "Wait, what is the point of all this?"

"To protect our family." Cora simply replied.

"Or you gaining your power." Regina shot back.

"Whatever power I _gain_ is for us. To protect you, Miranda and Henry." Cora replied. Mandy dropped her ring on the floor and began searching for it.

"If we lose this battle, we'll spend the rest of our short lives on our knees in front of them… And that, my love, is something I'll never do." Cora looked down to see Mandy on her knees searching for her ring. "And neither will you." Cora said grabbing Mandy's arm and pulling her up. "Let's go!" Cora commanded and she walked out of Regina's office. Regina and Mandy stared at each other with scared looks on their faces.

"I'm not sure if I like where this is going." Mandy admitted.

"I'm a little worried myself." Regina confessed before wrapping her arm around Mandy and started walking out the door.

"Wait, my ring. I dropped it." Mandy said. They both began searching for it. Regina saw something sparkle under a chair and went to pick it up.

"Is this it?" Regina asked holding it out for Mandy to grab.

"Yes! Thank you." She said relieved. She took the ring and put it on. "Peter gave it to me." She said sadly as she remembered the fight and the person she had lost earlier.

"I know you're hurting, honey. I'm here if you need to talk." Regina said offering a smile. Mandy wrapped her arms around Regina's waist. She was surprised by the hug and hugged her back.

Cora appeared in the doorway. "Are you two coming or not? We are on a time schedule here. Move it!" She said angrily and left.

"We should go before she starts using magic on us." Regina suggested.

"You mean she can get worse than that?" Mandy asked shocked.

"Oh honey, you don't want to see her any worse than she is now." Regina said knowing all too well what Cora was capable of. They walked out the door quickly to join Cora.

* * *

They now stood outside Gold's shop. Before they attempted to attack, Cora suggested they put a protective spell on them just in case something was to happen. They took a step back and formed a circle as they linked hands. They began saying the incantation in unison.

"By the dragons light, on this April night, I call to thee to give me your might, by the power of three, I conjure thee, to protect all that surrounds me." As soon as they finished saying the spell, a burst of bright green light emanated from all three women.

"Did it work?" Mandy asked.

"Yes, we're ready now." Cora confirmed.

They stood in a straight line with Mandy in the middle. Cora tried to bust down the door with her magic but there was a protective spell placed around the shop. Everyone inside the shop knew they had arrived were ready to fight. They would need more power to break the spell and open the door. Cora gave them a look and they instantly knew what to do. They each held up a hand and created a very powerful fireball. They threw it, causing the door to open forcefully. They walked inside to find Neal, Emma and David holding swords. Snow snuck out the back as soon as they had entered.

"Regina, think about what you are doing!" Emma warned.

"Don't talk to me." Regina responded sternly.

"Miranda, you're better than this. You don't have to turn to the dark side just because your mother did." David said trying to convince her to switch sides.

"You don't know me David. I have my own reasons to be on this side." Mandy shot back.

"Enough!" Cora yelled. Regina made a fireball appear and threw it at them. David deflected it with his sword. Mandy then sent David flying out the door with it shutting behind him.

"David!" Emma screamed as she took a step forward. Cora quickly turned around and held up her hand, sending Emma flying backwards and dropping her sword. Neal then attempted to fight Cora but when he took a swing, she disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, dropping the dagger in the process. As soon as Emma got to her feet, Regina began choking her. Mandy ran to get the dagger that Cora had dropped and turned to face Neal, ready for battle. Cora's sudden return into the room caught both Mandy and Regina off guard, causing them to lose focus and become distracted. Emma grabbed a wand and spun Regina around, holding it to her neck. Neal did the same to Mandy, causing her to drop the dagger. He held his knife under her neck, ready to kill her. Cora looked from Mandy, to the dagger, then to Regina, contemplating her next move.

"What's it gonna be lady?" Neal asked Cora.

"Mother!" Regina screamed.

"Choose wisely." Neal advised. She looked back at Regina before making the dagger come to her. Emma then pushed Regina into her mother, knocking Cora to the floor and sending Regina flying over the counter, causing glass to break everywhere. As soon as Emma pushed Regina, Neal forcefully pushed Mandy down. Her momentum carried her forward as she went through one of the glass cases, causing more glass to be shattered and landing close to Regina.

"Fall back to Gold! I have the chalk." Emma screamed to Neal. Regina got up quickly but Emma had already put the barrier on the door. She helped her mother up and healed Mandy's cuts on her face and hands from the glass she went through.

"Help me take out Rumplestiltskin and then we'll go back…" Cora said her voice trailing off as she began to feel dizzy. Mandy and Regina both grabbed her arms to help her stand up.

"Mother, what is it?" Regina asked worriedly.

"My…my heart. It's in your vault. Someone's there." Cora cringed in pain. Mandy put her arm around Cora's back to hold her up better.

"Mother?" Regina asked.

"Go. Both of you. Go!" Cora commanded. They both ran out of the store as Cora tried to break the barrier

"Really Rumple…hiding's beneath you." Cora mumbled before trying to break the barrier once more.

* * *

David finally came too after Mandy threw him out of the shop. He called Emma to make sure everyone was okay inside.

"David?" Emma questioned.

"Are you safe?" He asked quickly.

"For now. I got the spell up. We're in the back room." Emma responded.

"Is Snow okay?" He then asked getting to his feet.

"She's not with you?" She asked confused.

"No. Where the hell is she?"

* * *

Snow was in Regina's vault looking for Cora's heart. She finally found it and took the little box out of the trunk. She opened it but quickly shut it as she had doubts about going through with her plan. She remembered what Cora had done and opened it again but this time she put the curse on the heart. After she blew out the candles, she closed the box and was going to bring it back to the shop when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Snow froze in place. Regina and Mandy looked around before spotting Snow with the box in her hands.

"You have no right to be here…and you have no right to that!" Regina screamed, pointing to the box in Snow's hands.

"I was going to give it to you." Snow whispered.

"What?" Regina said confused.

"She can't love you, ya know. She doesn't have her heart. With it, maybe she can. That's why you never felt she loved you." Snow said trying to reason with Regina as to why she should put Cora's heart back inside her. Mandy looked to her mother with sadness, she didn't realize Regina basically grew up without a mother to love her, just like she had.

"She doesn't have her heart, but I do." Snow said smiling.

"You're doing this for me?" Regina asked in disbelief.

"Think about it. What would happen if Cora had her heart back inside her." Snow whispered.

"She took it out to protect herself." Regina replied, explaining her mother's reasoning for taking the heart in the first place.

"Did it work? The person she was before, do you think she survived?" Snow asked rhetorically. "She can't love, so she can't love you."

Regina shook her head." She always wanted what was best for me. That's love." She said, her voice trembling.

"Imagine real love. You'd have a mother…and a start on a family Henry can be a part of." Snow said trying to create an image in Regina's head. "Miranda would have a grandmother who loves her, not one who is just using her for her power." Regina looked at Mandy who hadn't taken her eyes off her mother the entire time. Mandy grabbed Regina's hand and squeezed it tight.

"Or you could have her be the Dark One." Snow said offering the box to Regina. "The choice is yours."

**Hope you all liked this chapter; let me know what you think so far. Quick question: Do you like the whole Greg/Tamara storyline? If so I'll try to work it in but if not, I'll just forget about it.**


	14. Chapter 14 The Aftermath

Chapter 14: The Aftermath

Snow was sitting outside of Regina's family mausoleum, with a guilty look on her face. Regina believed her and now Cora was going to die. David finally found her and was confused as to why Snow was so upset.

"Snow, what happened?" David asked, bending down to her level.

"I cursed Cora's heart." She whispered, clearly upset. "She's going to die as soon as Regina puts the heart back inside her."

"Regina?" He questioned.

"I tricked her too. I think that's the worst part about this." She cried.

"This is Cora's own fault. She deserves whatever's coming to her." He said standing up.

"But Regina doesn't. She's just a victim of circumstance." Snow said trying to get him to see her reasoning.

"How do ya figure?" David asked confused at how she got this conclusion.

"Everything that has happened was manipulated by Cora. She started all of this." She argued.

"We can't just sit here and think about whose fault it is." David shot back.

"You were right." She whispered. "This isn't me. I shouldn't have done this." She said as she stood up. "We need to stop Regina!"

* * *

Cora finally broke the barrier after multiple attempts. Neal and Emma were holding swords, ready to fight Cora.

"You two, out of the way!" She said as she transported them to the middle of the woods. She began making her way over to Gold.

He breathed heavily as he tried to talk. "A vision told me about you. Told me this day would come, but it didn't tell me everything…what I really wanted to know."

Cora sat on the edge of the bed. "And what was that?"

He took a deep breath before asking his question. "Did you even love me?"

She smiled. "Why do you think I had to rip my own heart out? _You_ were my weakness. You were the only man I ever truly loved." Cora confessed.

She paused for a moment to take a good look at the man she loved. She stood and held up the dagger ready to stab him, when she suddenly lost her breath and gasped for air. Regina lunged Cora's heart back inside into her body, causing her to drop the dagger. Rumplestiltskin's name reappeared on the knife, confirming that the curse Snow put on the heart has indeed worked; Gold was going to survive and Cora was not. When Cora finally stood up properly and caught her breath, she took a look at her daughter and granddaughter standing before her. A surge of love and warmth rushed through her body. She gave Regina and Mandy a huge smile in which they both returned. Regina finally had a mother that truly loved her. The happiness and joy Cora felt was quickly taken over by pain. She clutched her chest and it soon became too hard for her to stand. She began falling to the ground but Regina reacted quickly and was able to catch her in time. Mandy helped Regina set her down easy, both kneeling over Cora as Regina held her mother in her arms.

"Mother? Mother, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

Cora was having trouble talking, she knew she was dying. "This would've been enough. You, you would've been enough." She managed to get those words out before taking her last breath in Regina's arms.

"Grandmom?" Mandy whispered, her eyes starting to fill up with tears.

"What's going on?" Regina asked in a childish tone as she looked up to Gold. He stared at her with pity. When he didn't answer, she looked back down at Cora. "Mother, don't leave me please." She sobbed, holding her mother tight.

"Grandma, please wake up." Mandy cried, holding Cora's hand.

"What am I going to do?" Regina said rhetorically as she cried.

"Your mother did you no favors." Gold hissed.

"Shut up!" Regina yelled as she began to cry more. "You stole her life, you cast some spell."

"I did nothing." He whispered.

Mandy stood up angrily. "She wasn't supposed to die, you were!" She screamed.

"Sorry to disappoint you, dearie, but it wasn't my doing." Gold retorted.

"Regina, Stop!" Snow screamed running into the room and stopping suddenly when she saw Regina holding Cora's lifeless body. She realized she was too late.

"You did this." Regina said in a low, angry voice realizing it was Snow who killed her mother.

"Regina, I'm so sorry. I regretted my decision as soon as you left with her heart." Snow said apologetically.

"You manage to kill everyone I love, first Daniel and now my mother." Regina yelled.

"I'm sorry, Regina." Snow whispered. Before Regina could say anything, Cora began gasping for air and sat up. Everyone was startled by Cora's sudden awakening.

"Mother?!" Regina asked in a surprised yet confused voice.

Cora put her hand on her chest, taking a few breaths before responding. "Regina!" She exclaimed as she embraced her daughter.

The confused looks on everyone's faces said it all but Snow was the one who asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Cora, don't take this the wrong way but how the hell are you alive?"

Cora released from her embrace with Regina as they both stood up. "We put a protection spell on us before entering the shop. It counter acted the curse _you_ placed on my heart." Snow put her head down in guilt.

"But shouldn't Gold be dead then?" David asked confused.

"And your heart wasn't inside you, so wouldn't the protection spell not work?" Snow added.

"Under any normal protective spell, my heart wouldn't have been protected since it was outside my body." Cora replied.

"But this was no ordinary spell." Regina said.

"Clearly." Added Snow.

"The Power of Three." Gold said realizing what spell they had used.

"The most powerful protective spell out there." Mandy exclaimed.

Cora nodded in agreement. "The spell from the candle saved Rumple, and cursed my heart but the protection spell brought me back. The spell was cast over my entire body and because my heart is still a part of me, it didn't matter whether it was inside me or not." She said simply.

Mandy was so relieved that Cora was alive and okay. She got caught up in the moment but soon realized she had to do this favor for Gold since he didn't die and their deal was still on. She noticed the dagger on the floor by her feet. She picked it up quickly and quietly so no one would notice her. She knew she would have to kill Gold herself and become the Dark One if it meant saving Regina and Henry. Everyone was facing Snow and David who were by the door; no one would see her in time to stop her. She snuck up behind Gold and held up the knife ready to stab him when Snow screamed her name. Everyone quickly turned around to see Mandy lunge forward with the knife. Cora used magic to take the dagger from Mandy just before she stabbed Gold.

"Cora, why did you do that?!" Mandy cried.

Regina walked closer to Mandy and freaked out. "Do you realize what would've happened if you killed him?" She yelled, scolding her daughter.

"I wouldn't have to do this favor if I did!" Mandy screamed back.

"What favor?" Snow asked.

"I told you not to bring that up!" Gold hissed.

"What favor?" Snow asked again.

"We figured it out easily, don't blame the child." Cora yelled. "Now, what was it you wanted her to do?"

Gold didn't answer.

"What the hell are you all talking about?!" David demanded, more than asked.

"Miranda owes Gold a favor. She was sworn to secrecy and can't tell what it is." Regina answered, frustrated with the two idiots.

"What was the favor, Gold?!" David asked, his voice booming.

Gold was still reluctant to tell. He rolled his eyes and sat down. He was still a little weak from almost dying. "Well it doesn't matter now…" He mumbled.

"Go ahead Miranda." Cora said.

Miranda was hesitant at first; unsure if this was a trick Gold was playing on her. "Apparently, Henry is supposed to be Rumple's undoing, whatever that means. He wanted me to rip out Henry's heart and crush it." She confessed, feeling a little better to tell her secret. Snow, Regina and David gasped at her sudden disclosure.

"How would killing Henry solve anything?" David asked Gold but he wasn't answering any questions.

"I didn't want to do it, nor was I going too, honest!" She cried. "If I didn't kill Henry then…" Her voice trailing off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Regina lifted Mandy's chin and looked into the young girl's eyes as they filled with tears. "Then what, dear?" Regina asked.

Mandy looked at Regina with her big brown eyes. "He was going to kill you." She whispered, her voice trembling.

Regina's face hardened. "I can't believe you put my daughter in that position!" Regina yelled at Gold.

"I'm not surprised." Cora admitted.

"Look, I needed to get rid of the boy and I knew she wouldn't do it unless I threatened her _new_ family." He shot back at Regina.

"You're unbelievable you know that!" Snow exclaimed.

"Well she doesn't have to do it now that you all know. So go back to your pathetic lives and get out of my shop!" He yelled to them all.

"We're not done Gold." Regina threatened.

"Looking forward to our next meeting." He said sarcastically before Regina, Mandy and Cora disappeared.

"Let's go, David. It's been a long day." Snow said grabbing his hand.

"Don't even think about trying to hurt my family again!" David warned before walking out with Snow.

* * *

The ladies arrived back at the Mills Mansion. They all took a seat on the couch, exhausted by the day's events.

"I want to make Gold pay for what he was making you do." Regina said aggravated with the situation.

"Can't we just forget about revenge and focus on becoming a family?" Mandy asked wanting to live a normal life for once. "Besides, Henry wouldn't like that."

"The girl's right, Regina." Cora said putting her hand on Mandy's thigh.

"You being nice is going to take some time to get used to." Regina admitted to Cora.

"I was nice before you replaced my heart." Cora shot back. "You just did things that I didn't like or approved of." Regina just sighed, not wanting to start another fight with her mother.

"I just don't understand why Gold would want to kill his own grandson." Mandy said shaking her head.

"What did you just say?!" Regina asked in shock, turning Miranda to face her.

"Henry is Gold's grandson. Did I not mention that?" Mandy asked scrunching her face.

"No, you seemed to have forgotten that detail." Cora said.

"Gold's son is Henry's father?!" Regina shrieked.

"Yea, that's how the whole grandparent thing works…" Mandy said not knowing why Regina was freaking out the way she was.

"How far do these family ties go? It seems everyone is related one way or another…" Cora observed.

"I don't know, Mother." Regina said as she stood up in frustration, put her hands on her hips and began pacing.

Mandy walked over to Regina to try to calm her down. "You shouldn't fret over something like this. I'm just relieved I didn't lose you today…" She said looking into Regina's eyes before turning to her grandmother... "Or you, Cora."

Regina cupped her daughter's face. "You're not going to lose me that easily, dear."

"Glad to hear that!" Mandy smiled. "I have some things to take care of so I'll leave you two to talk."

"Oh, don't tell me you're going to see that boy!" Cora said disgusted as she stood up.

"So what if I am?" Mandy said turning around to face Cora and crossing her arms across her chest. "I thought you would understand now that you have your heart back."

"I may have gained my heart but I haven't lost my sensibility." Cora argued, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well I need to talk to Peter and I have to check on the boys afterwards." She said before heading towards the door.

She was already in the hallway before Regina caught her arm and spun her around to face her. "Honey, I don't think you should go just yet. Give him some time to cool off." Regina said trying to guide her daughter.

"But he won't forgive me unless I explain myself!" Mandy argued back.

Regina took a deep breath and placed her hands on Mandy's shoulders. "I know I haven't been you're mother for very long, but _please _trust me when I say you should wait to talk to him."

"Fine." Mandy whined as she began heading upstairs.

"Honey, are you okay?" Regina whispered to Miranda who barely made it up the first couple steps.

"I just want to be alone right now." Mandy replied frustrated as she continued to march up the stairs.

Regina walked back into the living room with her hands on her hips, shaking her head.

"Now you know what it's like to be the mother of a teenage daughter." Cora said, smiling wickedly.

"These are completely different circumstances, Mother." Regina said before sitting on the couch beside Cora.

"What are you going to do about this boy?" Cora questioned.

"Nothing. There's nothing I can do except be here for Miranda if she needs me." Regina responded.

"But Regina…" Cora said before Regina cut her off. "No buts. I am not going to meddle in my daughter's love life like you did to me."

Cora protested. "Regina I…" "And neither are you. You will stay out of her love life, got it?" Cora nodded.

"No more killing love interests just because they are not up to your standards, Mother." Regina added.

Cora held up her hand as to swear she wouldn't get involved. "I promise you Regina, that I will not meddle in yours or Miranda's love lives."

"Good. You better keep that promise or I will be very disappointed in you." Regina said.

Cora tucked Regina's hair behind her ears. "The last thing I want to do is disappoint you, my love. I want to redeem myself…if you'll give me that chance."

"Redemption is hard, especially when you're trying to redeem yourself to people who believe you can't change." Regina warned.

"I am willing to try for you and for my granddaughter. That is, if you'll help me?" Cora asked.

Regina smiled at Cora's offer. "Of course I'll help you. I'm still trying to redeem myself."

Cora smiled back and held Regina's hands in hers. "Then we will do it together."

**Hope you liked the chapter and let me know what you think!**


	15. Chapter 15 It's Over

**I had trouble writing this chapter. Writers block kicked in. Let me know what you think.**

Chapter 15: It's Over

**Later the Night**

Snow and David were eating dinner when Emma and Neal walked in.

"If we just turned left at that fallen tree like I said, we would've gotten home a lot quicker than your way!" Emma argued.

"I know, I know. You were right! Can you just let it go?!" Neal whined.

"Where have you two been?" Snow asked.

"You've been gone for a while. What happened?" David added.

"Cora. That's what happened." Emma tiredly said. "She broke the barrier and transported us to the middle of the woods."

"We've been trying to find our way back since." Neal sighed.

"What happened since we left?" Emma questioned, curious as to how the scene played out.

"What didn't happen?" Snow said rolling her eyes.

"Well to sum it up. Snow cursed Cora's heart, manipulated Regina to put it back in her, she did, Cora died, Rumple survived. Cora came back to life. Mandy revealed Gold wanted her to kill Henry and if she didn't, he would kill Regina." David said taking In a deep breath. Emma and Neal stared at Snow and David with open mouths.

"Did I miss anything?" David asked Snow. She shook her head no, still feeling guilty about trying to kill Cora.

"What?!" Emma shrieked.

"My father wanted my son dead?" Neal asked shocked.

"It appears that way, yes." Snow said.

"He's unbelievable!" Neal yelled, throwing his hands in the air.

"Where's Henry now?" Emma asked worried.

"Upstairs. We haven't told him much, only that no one is dead." David said.

"Neal, I don't want Henry around your father." Emma admitted.

"I don't blame you. Neither do I." Neal said walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked.

"To pay my father an unpleasant visit." He responded shutting the door behind him.

"I don't want Henry left alone either." Emma said to Snow and David.

"We'll make sure someone is with him at all times." David said. Emma nodded in approval.

* * *

Neal barged through the front door of Gold's shop and walked right up to the counter Gold was standing behind.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Neal screamed.

"I take it you found out about my plan…" Gold said uninterested.

"Killing my son, your grandson? You thought that would bring us closer together?" Neal yelled in Gold's face.

"Hear me out Bae!" Gold pleaded.

"No, I'm so tired of listening to your pathetic excuses…and getting a little girl, one of Henry's friends to kill him is low, even for you." Neal screamed before walking towards the door.

"Bae, listen to me!" Gold commanded.

"I'm done with you. I don't want you near Henry, understand? Stay away from us!" He yelled before storming out of the shop, leaving Gold sad that he lost his son yet again, but also angry at the situation. His plan would've worked if Cora and Regina didn't get involved. He was determined to find someone to kill Henry.

* * *

Mandy was lying in bed, facing the window when she heard the knock at the door. "Go away!" She yelled, not wanting to deal with anyone. The door opened anyway and in walked Regina with a tray of food.

"I brought you dinner. I know you may not want to talk but you have to eat something." She said placing the tray of food at the bottom of the bed.

"I'm not hungry." She mumbled as she rolled around to face Regina.

"Well, I'll just leave it here in case you change your mind." Regina responded, knowing she would eventually become hungry. She headed towards the door when Mandy stopped her from leaving.

"Regina, wait!" Mandy said quickly.

"What is it, dear?" She asked, turning, her voice in a low whisper.

Mandy took a deep breath before continuing. "When I talk to Peter tomorrow, what should I say? I don't even know where to begin." She admitted.

Regina sat on the edge of the bed and put her hand on Mandy's side before answering. "Start with the truth. Tell him your side of the story."

"But what if he won't listen to me?" She asked worriedly.

"Then he's not worth your time" Regina replied simply.

"I love him though." She admitted in a whisper.

Regina sighed and began rubbing Mandy's back to try to comfort her. "You might love him but he might not feel the same way."

"I was afraid of that." Mandy said disappointingly.

"Don't give up just yet, dear! See how it goes tomorrow." Regina said trying to give her encouragement.

"And what if he still wants nothing to do with me?" Mandy asked sadly.

"Then that's his loss. You're a beautiful, terrific and lovely young woman and if he can't see that, then he's not the right guy for you." Regina responded truthfully.

Mandy wiped away a tear that had fallen and smiled. "Thanks mom."

Regina was ecstatic, this was the first time Mandy has ever called her 'mom'. She was beaming with happiness.

"Anytime, darling." Regina leaned down and kissed the top of Mandy's head. "I love you." She whispered pushing Mandy's hair out of her face.

"I love you too." Mandy whispered back.

Regina put her hand on Mandy's arm pulling her in an upright position. "Now, please eat something. I don't want you to have a poor diet all because of some boy." She said getting the plate of food and offering it to her.

"Okay, okay." She said taking the plate from her. She picked up the fork and shoved a small piece of lasagna into her mouth. "I'm eating, see?" Mandy said still chewing.

"I'm glad, but don't talk with your mouthful dear. It's unbecoming." Regina responded. Mandy rolled her eyes.

After she finished chewing she continued to talk." This is really good!" She said before shoving in another piece.

"I knew you were hungry!" Regina laughed as she kept Mandy company while she ate.

* * *

**The Next Day**

Peter was stuck in the house, yet again. He hated living with the Charmings. They were nice people and tried to include him in their family activities but he just wanted to be alone. He sat on the couch watching TV, like he did most of the time, not wanting to be bothered. He was watching baseball, the Boston Red Sox against the New York Mets. Emma saw that the game was on and sat down next to him on the couch.

"I love baseball. Who's winning?" Emma asked, her eyes glued to the television.

"Boston." He replied apathetically.

"Great! I hate the Mets. We better win!" She said getting into the game. Peter didn't say anything.

When a commercial came on, Emma tried to strike up a conversation with Peter. "Who's your favorite team?

Peter shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I just like watching." Emma nodded. She didn't know what else to ask to keep the conversation going.

"So…what's Mandy like?" She finally asked.

"What? That's so random." He said caught off guard by the question.

"My first impression of her wasn't great and she's been hanging out with Henry lately. I wanted to know if she's a good influence." Emma confessed. Peter didn't really want to talk about Mandy. He wanted to forget about her.

"She likes Henry and treats him like she does the Lost Boys." He said truthfully.

"So she treats him nicely?" Peter nodded. "Hard to believe that. She was going to kill him just yesterday."

This drew Peter's attention. He sat up straight, eyes wide. "She tried to kill him?"

Emma nodded. "Apparently it was for a favor she owed Gold."

"I'm actually not surprised. She changed ever since she met him, and not for the better." Peter confessed.

"That's not hard to believe with Gold involved. How did she change exactly?" Emma asked.

"She was kind at heart and wouldn't hurt a fly before but after she met him, it didn't matter to her who she killed. She wasn't the same." He said.

"She killed people?!" Emma asked shocked.

"She was jealous of Wendy and tried to kill her."

"But she didn't?" Emma questioned.

"No. I don't know what she did when she returned to Gold."

"You're girlfriend seems a little unpredictable." Emma observed.

"She's not my girlfriend. I don't want to talk to her anymore." Peter hissed.

Emma was surprised to hear this. "Okay. I won't bring it up again."

"Thanks. I actually have a question for you." He said.

"Shoot."

"How did Gold cross the town line without losing his memory?" Peter questioned.

"Why do you want to know that?" Emma asked, her detective instinct showing.

"I just thought it couldn't be done." He lied.

She didn't see the harm in answering his question. "He had some kind of potion. He put it on a scarf that he wore at all times. At least, that's how I think he did it."

Before he could ask another question, Henry came down the stairs.

"Do we have anything to eat? Like a snack or something?" He asked stopping at the bottom of the stairs

"I don't know kid, check it out." As soon as Emma finished her sentence, there was a knock at the door.

Henry was closest so he answered the door. "Hey Mandy! What's up?"

Panic showed on Emma's face as she looked at Peter whose face showed anger.

"I'm here to talk to Peter." She said as she walked into the apartment. Henry pointed to Peter sitting on the couch. Mandy walked over.

"We'll leave you two alone. Come on Henry." Emma said as she got up from the couch and walked over to Henry.

Peter stood up. "No, stay. Whatever she has to say, she can say in front of you two."

Emma and Henry froze, not knowing whether they should stay or go. Mandy knew that if she wanted to talk to Peter then she would have to do it under his terms.

"I know you and the Lost Boys didn't remember Wendy as soon as you regained your memories from the curse but I had nothing to do with that." Mandy explained.

"You expect me to believe that?!" Peter shouted.

"It's the truth, Peter. I want to tell you my side of the story." Mandy said calmly, trying to control her temper.

"I don't want to hear it." Peter yelled.

"Awe, hear her out Peter!" Henry chimed in, earning him a pissed off look from Peter. Emma covered his mouth with her hand.

"Why did you change?" He asked Mandy.

"When I came back from Rumple I was the same person. He taught me a few spells that was it." She said calmly. Snow and David came through the door with groceries in their hands. They were about to say something when they saw what was going on.

"You were jealous of Wendy!" Peter shouted.

"I wasn't even gone long and you already replaced me. I found you two kissing, so I think I have a right to be a little jealous and protective of my boyfriend." She said her voice rising and becoming more and more agitated and annoyed. Emma, Snow, Henry, and David shot concerning looks at one another.

"_She_ kissed me. It meant nothing." Peter hissed.

"Then why did you take her side at the lagoon? You just met her!" She yelled, completely losing her calmness.

"Because jealousy was clouding your judgment. You would do anything to get rid of Wendy, even kill her!" He shouted back. Snow, Henry and David gasped.

"It wasn't me, it was the mermaids and that happened _after_ she tried to kill me!" She argued.

"Oh don't start that again!" Peter yelled frustrated.

"Why don't you believe me?" She asked.

Peter walked closer, towering over Miranda. "Because Gold made you a liar and a killer." He hissed.

"You weren't around when I was with Gold. How would you know what he made me?" She shot back.

"I've seen it. But it doesn't matter now. I choose Wendy." He said firmly before brushing passed her on his way towards the door.

"But Peter…." She said as she grabbed his arm.

He pushed her away. "No, I got you outta that place because they were going to kill you. You were a little girl and wouldn't hurt a fly." He paused catching his breath. "But you tried killing Wendy and even Henry now!" Peter screamed.

Henry had a shocked look on his face. "You were going to kill me?!" He asked Mandy.

Mandy looked over at Henry. "I was never going to kill you Henry. It was all a part of Gold's plan."

"What plan?" Henry asked.

"Not now Henry." Mandy replied. She didn't have time to explain to Henry everything that has happened. She needed to focus on her situation with Peter.

"Oh no, go ahead." Peter said. "We're done here."

"Peter, I still want to talk to you." Mandy cried.

"I have better things to do." He replied walking between Snow and David and out the door. David put his groceries down and tried to catch up to Peter to talk to him. Mandy just stood there speechless. Snow out her groceries and walked over to her.

"Are you okay Mandy?" Snow asked placing her hands on Mandy's arms, as she looked into her eyes.

Mandy came back to reality. "Ugh…yea. I'll be fine." She didn't give a strong and believable response.

Snow certainly didn't buy it but she decided to change the subject to get Mandy's mind off Peter. "We should spend some time together. I would like to get to know my little sister." Snow smiled.

Mandy looked at Snow with a confused look on her face. "Sister?"

"Wait, _she's_ my aunt?" Emma asked.

She nodded. "Well, half-sister since we both have the same father." Snow said.

"King Leopold?" Mandy questioned. Snow nodded.

"He's not my father…Daniel is." Mandy responded.

"Daniel?" Snow whispered his name. Mandy nodded in confirmation.

"She _really_ loved him." She smiled, accepting that Daniel was Mandy's true father.

Mandy smiled back. "But we're still step-sisters, right?"

"That we are!" Snow confirmed happily.

"Cool…I would love to stay and hang out but I have _a lot_ to do today." She said as she gave Snow a hug.

"Mandy, can I come with? I wanna talk to you." Henry chimed in.

"Ugh, Henry…I don't think that's a good idea." Emma said not wanting Henry hanging out with Mandy.

"Why not?" He asked.

"She doesn't trust me." Mandy said looking directly at Emma.

"Well with recent events, I think you should stay away for a while." She said, not trying to hurt Mandy's feelings but it was too late.

"She wasn't going to kill me, we're friends." Henry said trying to persuade Emma into letting him go.

"You're a little too trusting Henry." Emma said.

"Great!" Mandy said sarcastically. "I lost Peter and now I'm losing one of the few friends I have. What a banner day this turned out to be." She said walking towards the door.

"Wait!" Snow said to Mandy. "Emma, I don't believe she was going to kill Henry. And the deal is off anyway."

"What deal?" Henry asked.

"I would tell you on the way…that's if Emma will let you come with me." Mandy said annoyed that Emma didn't trust her. Emma thought about it for a few moments. She didn't want to let him go but Snow's face told her to change her mind.

"Fine. You can go." Henry and Mandy smiled. "On one condition." She added.

"And what's that?" Mandy asked taking a few steps closer to Emma.

Emma also took a few steps forward, only a few inches away from Mandy. "That you protect Henry from anyone and anything. Don't let him out of your sight." She said seriously.

"I can handle that. Come on Henry." She said before they both ran out the door.

"And be back by 10!" Emma screamed after them.

Snow couldn't help but laugh. "They don't really listen to the whole curfew thing. Trust me; I've tried multiple times to no avail."

**Well I hope you liked this chapter, it was hard to write. I just wanna thank you for your reviews and to everyone who reads! You keep me going! Thanks! Don't forget to review!**


	16. Chapter 16 Pixie Dust

** impureevilregal – I'll try to add more fun with those four characters but it won't be until the next chapter at the earliest but probably the one after that. Do you have any suggestions?**

Chapter 16: Pixie Dust

Mandy explained her situation to Henry. He listened to her intently on their walk to see Tiger Lily and the Lost Boys. He understood the situation and wasn't scared of Mandy at all. He felt bad for her more than anything-all of this happening at once. As they approached the cabin in the woods, they heard yelling and laughter. They saw all the Lost Boys, Tiger Lily and Tinkerbell flying in the air. Their jaws dropped as they took in the scene in front of them. Tiger Lily spotted them and flew over.

"Henry!" Tiger Lily screamed as she tackled him to the ground with a hug, laying on top of him.

He laughed. "Hey! How ya been?"

"Better now that you're here." She said before leaning down to give him a kiss.

"Nice to see you too Tiger Lily." Mandy said eying the pair on the ground.

She broke her kiss from Henry and looked up. "Oh, hi Mandy. I didn't see you there."

"I know." Mandy said rolling her eyes. "Just answer one question and I'll let you get back to rolling around with Henry."

Tiger Lily smirked and got up, wiping the dirt off her clothes. "And what's that?"

"How are you all flying?" Mandy asked. Tink overheard the question when she flew closer to the group on the ground.

"The boys found Pixie Dust when they were playing around in the mines." Tink answered as she landed next to Mandy.

"You let them play in the mines?" Mandy asked annoyed, her voice rising.

"No, Miranda. I did not. " Tink said angrily. "I can't watch them all the time. I do have other things and obligations to the other fairies. I'm trying my best but it's a little hard to keep them all out of trouble without you and Peter."

"Right, I'm sorry." Mandy said, realizing she was out of line. "Things have been a little hectic lately.

"Mind if we go talk alone?" He asked Mandy motioning to Tiger Lily.

"Fine but stay where I can see you." Many replied. As they walked away, Mandy and Tink continued their conversation.

"So what did you mean by hectic?" Tink asked.

"I can't get into it right now but Peter broke up with me." She said sadly.

"What! Why?" Tink asked shocked.

"He remembered Wendy and everything that happened." She said.

"That's why he came here angry. He must've told the boys about her as well." Tink realized.

"Is that why they are ignoring me?" She asked looking up at the boys.

"I think so." Tink admitted.

"Great, now they hate me too!" Mandy complained.

"They don't hate you. They're just confused." She said to Mandy trying to comfort her. "Boys! Come here!" She screamed.

They all flew over to Mandy and Tink. "What's up?" Slightly asked.

"Are you mad at Mandy?" Tink asked quickly.

"No. We are sad her and Peter aren't together anymore." Nibs said disappointingly.

"But you remember Wendy?" Tink asked confirming they knew her.

"Yea, but we always liked Mandy better." Cubby said, making Mandy smile.

Tootles, the baby of the group, hugged Mandy around her legs, almost knocking her over. She scooped him up and held him close. "I really missed you all!" She whispered.

"We don't want to take sides between you and Peter." Nibs added.

"I understand. I actually prefer if you all stay out of it." Mandy said.

"We like you better than Wendy anyway." Said one of the Twins causing Mandy and Tink to both laugh.

"Don't let Peter hear you say that." Mandy joked. "Where did he go anyway?"

"I know he was going to get some Pixie Dust but that was after he went somewhere else. I can't remember where exactly." Responded Slightly.

"Did he say what he wanted the Pixie Dust for?" Mandy asked.

"To Fly…" Nibs said smartly.

"I know that!" She said a little annoyed. "But did he say _where_ he was planning to fly?"

"Around town I guess…" Cubby said shrugging his shoulders.

Mandy set Tootles down. "Why don't you boys get back to playing your little game." They all took off and continued with their game of freeze tag in the sky.

"I have a feeling Peter is up to something?" Mandy confided in Tink.

"Why do you say that?" Tink asked.

"I think he wants to find Wendy and bring her back here. That's why he needs the Pixie Dust." She replied.

"Even if he does find the Pixie Dust, he can't cross the town line." Tink said trying to reassure her.

"True…I'm going to stop him anyway. Have you told the Blue Fairy about the Pixie Dust?" Mandy asked.

"No, I didn't get a chance." Tink said. "I was having too much fun with the boys, to be honest. I missed flying a lot!"

"Well you should tell her so she can put someone there to guard it. We don't want everyone flying around town, they could get hurt." Mandy suggested.

"Good thinking. What are you going to do?" Tink asked.

"Henry and I are going to the mines now. Hopefully we get there before Peter does."

"Alright, I'll get the Blue Fairy and meet you there." Mandy nodded and Tink flew off. "Henry, we need to go!"

* * *

Peter walked into Gold's shop. He wasn't playing any games. He had business to take care of quickly so he just spit it out when Gold asked him what he wanted.

"I want the potion for crossing the town line." Peter said.

"That one is going to cost you, dearie. Are you willing to pay the price? It's quite high." Gold responded in a sing-song voice.

"I don't care what the price is. I want that potion!" He said greedily.

"May I ask what this is for?" Gold asked.

"No, you may not ask what it's for." He said mockingly.

"Fair enough."

"Will you give me the potion?" Peter asked aggravated.

"Will you kill Henry?" Gold asked back arching eyebrow.

"Is that the deal?"

"Yes." Gold responded.

Peter didn't hesitate in answering. "Fine. Why do you want him dead anyway?"

"Don't worry about it." He answered sharply.

"Fine. I really don't care just give me the potion." Peter commanded.

"Not so fast…" A piece of paper appeared in Gold's out stretched hand. "You must sign this before we continue."

"What is it?" He asked.

"A simple contract." Gold replied.

"Whatever. Got a pen?"

Gold handed him a quill. "You're still using quills?" Peter asked surprised.

"I like them." He said letting out a little giggle. Peter took the quill from Gold's hand and signed the contract.

"Great!" Gold said once Peter was finishing signing. He walked around one of the glass counters and pulled out a tiny pouch.

He held it up, dangling in front of Peter's face. "This will allow you to cross the town line without forgetting who you are."

"Perfect!" Peter exclaimed as he tried to grab it from Gold's hand.

He pulled it away so it was out of Peter's reach. "I'm not finished yet."

"Could you hurry up?!" Peter asked frustrated.

"Are you in a hurry?" Gold asked.

"Kinda. Yea!" Peter shouted.

"Too bad." Gold responded getting close to Peter's face. Peter rolled his eyes in aggravation. Gold could tell he was getting on the boy's nerves and was enjoying the moment. "You have to pour it over some type of clothing and wear it the entire time you're out of Storybrooke."

"Sounds easy enough." Peter said shrugging his shoulders and grabbing the potion.

"When are you killing the boy?" Gold asked wanting to know when the deal would be completed.

"When I get back from London." He shut his eyes when he let it slip to Gold where he was going.

"What's in London?" Gold asked.

"Forget I mentioned it!" He said before walking out the door.

* * *

Mandy and Henry arrived at the mines first. They walked through, searching for the Pixie Dust. They finally found it towards the back of the mine.

"I want you to hide, Henry. I can't let you get hurt." Mandy said pushing him in the direction they just came.

Henry protested."But.."

"Go Henry!" She commanded. He ran down the hall of the tunnel and found a hiding spot inside a mine cart. Once he was out of sight, she turned around trying to see if she could hide the Pixie Dust before Peter got there.

She was interrupted when she heard a voice from behind. "What are you doing here, Mandy?"

She spun around and saw Peter standing there. He looked taller in the dark. "I'm here to stop you!"

"I'd like to see you try!" He shot back.

"Why do you want Pixie Dust anyway?" She asked.

"Don't worry about it." He snapped.

"You're going to find Wendy, aren't you?!" She screamed.

"You know me well." He said smiling wickedly.

"Too well." She smirked.

"Get out of my way, Miranda!" He yelled

"Or what?" She asked interested in what he would do.

Peter pulled out a sword that he usually carried with him. She had forgotten about that little habit of his. A worried look showed on her face.

Peter extended his sword. Mandy's worried look was quickly taken over by a wicked smile. "Did you forget I have magic?"

"That's not a fair fight!" Peter complained.

"You were going to fight me when I was weaponless!" She argued. "Besides, who said we're playing fair?"

She flew her hands forward tossing him backwards, landing on his back. It didn't affect him too much. He jumped up and was ready to fight. "Is that the best you can do?" He asked arching his eyebrow.

Mandy didn't look nervous but she was. That _was_ the best she could do. It was supposed to hurt him enough to make him go back home and abandon his plan. He began swinging his sword at her, but she dodged each blow. Practicing with Peter had really paid off. She knew every move he was going to make before he made it. She knocked him down with her magic again but it didn't keep him down for long. He was back up in seconds. He figured Mandy knew his tricks by now so he decided to switch it up. He swung low, when she was expecting high, cutting her leg. She fell as a sharp pain raced through her leg. She was just about to get to her feet when Peter grabbed a good sized rock and hit her in the head. She fell back instantly, hitting the ground. She didn't move.

Satisfied, Peter made his way over to the Pixie Dust. He gathered what he needed, stepped over Mandy's body and headed towards the exit. Henry jumped out of his hiding spot and through a small rock at Peter, hitting Peter in the back of the head. He turned around and saw Henry just standing there. Henry didn't think his plan through all the way. Peter began walking towards Henry. "I'll take care of you right now." He mumbled to himself. He stopped when he heard footsteps and voices coming from one of the tunnels. "I'll deal with you later!" He said to Henry before running in the opposite tunnel. Tink and the Blue Fairy finally arrived.

"Come quick! I think Mandy's hurt!" Henry yelled to them. They followed him to the back of the mine and saw Mandy lying on the ground.

Henry lightly shook her. "Mandy. Mandy." Mandy began to stir as Tink and Henry helped her sit up.

"What happened here?" The Blue Fairy asked.

Mandy held her head in pain. "He hit me in the head, obviously." She said annoyed and pointed to her head.

"I tried to stop him but he got away." Henry said quickly.

"Henry! I told you to stay hidden. You don't listen well at all." Mandy hissed.

"You're just figuring that out now?" He smirked. She tried to laugh but it hurt her head too much. She winced in pain.

"Are you okay?" Tink asked concerned.

"Hold still." The Blue Fairy commanded. She waved her wand over both of her wounds, healing them in the process.

"Thanks." Mandy said as she stood up. "My head still hurts though."

"That will go away with time and rest." The Blue Fairy advised.

"I can't rest now, I need to stop him." She said before turning to leave.

The Blue Fairy grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "If he has Pixie Dust, he will be long gone by now."

Someone came running into the mine. They all turned to see who it was. It was another fairy. "Ebony, what's up?" Tink asked.

"I'm glad I found you!" She said to Mandy. "The Lost Boys are flying around town, causing trouble.

"Of course they are!" Mandy said, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"We need _you_ to stop them. They won't listen to anyone else." Ebony said.

"I'm not surprised." Tink said, rolling her eyes.

"We should go then." Henry suggested.

"You three go." The Blue Fairy instructed. "Ebony and I will take care of securing the mine. Take some Pixie Dust, you might need it."

"Great, thanks!" Mandy said and she gathered some Pixie Dust and ran out with Tink and Henry behind her.

* * *

David was trying to negotiate with the boys who were hovering in the sky. They were causing a scene as more and more people began to gather around to watch. Emma and Snow arrived to try to help with the boys.

"How long have they been flying around?" Snow asked.

"Grumpy called it in about an hour ago. We've been out here trying to get them down since then." David replied looking up to the sky.

"Well are they really causing any harm?" Emma asked folding her arms across her chest.

"We can't have young boys flying around town. Who knows what might happen." David replied. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Look how young that one looks!" Snow said pointing to Tootles.

Regina was in her car on the way to the supermarket when she noticed the huge crowd gathered in the middle of the road. She got out of the car and walked over, standing next to Emma.

"What's going on?" Regina asked looking up.

"Regina, we have everything under control." Emma said, not wanting Regina to be involved.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Doesn't look like it."

"We can't get them down." Snow said pointing to the kids in the sky.

"Got any spells that could get them down?" Emma asked Regina. If she was going to stick around she might as well make herself useful, she thought to herself.

"Only one, but there are no trees around." Regina replied.

Emma looked at her with a funny face. "Do I even want to know?"

Regina wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Probably not."

Mandy, Tink and Henry finally arrived out of breath. "Boys! Come down here right now!" Mandy screamed. The entire crowd looked over to see who was taking charge. Regina and the Charmings couldn't see over the people so they made their way to the other side.

"Listen to Mandy!" Tink commanded, trying to help.

"No! We are having fun!" Slightly yelled back.

David reached for Mandy and put his hand on her shoulder, spinning her around. "Do you think you can get them down?" He asked.

"Yea, but I'm going to need some help from Tink and Henry." She replied.

Henry looked surprised. No one ever needed his help. "Me?"

"Yes you." She said poking him in the stomach.

"What do you need to do?" Regina asked concerned.

"We need to get up there, surround them and take them down."

"How did they get up there in the first place?" Emma asked hastily.

"Pixie Dust." Mandy, Tink, and Henry replied in unison.

"Right. Pixie Dust. Of course." Emma said rolling her eyes.

"That's what we are going to use as well." Tink added.

"Why does Henry have to do it?" Regina asked pouting. "I don't want him to get hurt."

"Regina's right and I normally don't agree with her." Emma said hating to admit she agreed with Regina.

"They don't trust adults and they know the three of us." Mandy argued.

"You all have adventures. Let me have one!" Henry whined trying to persuade both Emma and Regina. He gave them the puppy dog look. When that wasn't working, Tink and Mandy jumped in and put the same face on.

"Pleeeease!" The three kids whined and pleaded in unison.

Emma couldn't resist. She caved. "Fine."

"Yes!" "Alright!" "Sweet!" They said at the same time, giving each other high fives.

Regina sighed. "Do you always give in that easily, Miss Swan?" She asked crossing her arms.

"Depends." Emma replied shrugging her shoulders.

"Interesting." Was all Regina said.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Nothing." Regina said looking away.

Mandy sprinkled the dust over Tink, Henry and herself. "Alright, happy thoughts now." Tink said smiling.

They all began to float off the ground. "Okay, we need to surround them. I'll make it a game, so play along." Mandy instructed.

"What are the rules?" Henry asked before they took off.

"We'll make them up as we go along. Let's go." Mandy said pulling Henry and Tink along.

They all fly up and surround the boys. Henry had a little trouble at first, causing Regina and Emma to freak out from below. He picked it up pretty quickly though. Everyone else watched the scene play out from below.

"Boys, why don't we go back to the woods. You can fly around out there." Tink said sweetly, trying to get them to come down without playing a game with them.

"We're tired of the woods. We wanted a change of scenery." Slightly whined.

"But it's easier to play games in the woods. Better hiding spots too!" Henry added.

"Did you say games?!" The twins said in unison.

"Yes, a game. Would you like to play?" Mandy asked.

"Yes!" They all shouted.

"Alright, here are the rules. If one of us catches you" Mandy said motioning to Henry, Tink and herself. "then you are out and will be taken prisoner."

"You have to stay with the prison guards." Tink added.

"Who are they?" Cubby asked.

"See that blonde woman down there?" Henry asked pointing to Emma. Cubby nodded. "Her and the three people around her are the prison guards. Got it?"

"How do we win?" Nibs asked only interested in winning.

"We have to catch all of you in ten minutes or you win." Tink said trying to make the game sound interesting.

"What do we win?" Cubby asked excitedly.

"If you win, you can fly around town as long as you'd like. How does that sound?" Mandy suggested. They all looked to one another to make sure it was alright with each one. They all nodded in unison. Mandy flew down to where Emma, Snow, Regina and David were standing.

"You four are going to be the jail guards. Hold the kids while we capture each one." Mandy said still hovering in the air. "Just play along please." She pleaded.

"They think it's a game." Emma said as she realized what was going on.

"Yea. I need you to keep time. Ten minutes on the clock." Mandy said confirming Emma's theory. Emma nodded before she flew back in the air.

Emma looked at her watch. "Ready. Set. Go!" She screamed. All the boys took off in different directions.

"Slightly and Nibs will be the hardest to catch. Go for the others first." Mandy instructed.

Tink took off after the Twins, Henry went for Cubby and Mandy went for Tootles. Mandy caught Tootles rather quickly, considering he was tiny and a slow flyer. She brought him down and handed him to Snow, who was thrilled to entertain the little fella. Mandy then set out to help Tink with the Twins. Henry was having a little trouble catching Cubby. He was faster than he looked. Henry chased him around buildings and over people's heads. He had a few close calls which made Regina and Emma worry a little more. He finally caught him and took him down to Snow, just as Mandy and Tink brought the Twins to David.

"You need to be more careful Henry!" Regina scolded as he landed.

"He did fine, Regina." David said.

"This reminds me of when Harry Potter was trying to catch the Golden Snitch." Emma said trying to make the connection. They all looked at her with puzzled looks on their faces. "Don't tell me you haven't seen Harry Potter!" They just stared at her.

Emma sighed looking down at her watch annoyed that no one gets her analogies."You have five minutes left."

"Are you sure you can do this?" Snow asked.

"We should if we do it right." Tink responded.

"Slightly first, then Nibs." Mandy instructed. "Let's go!" Henry said already well into the air.

Mandy and Tink followed. They were hot on his trail. Mandy realized she could catch him if she cut him off. Tink and Henry continued following him. Emma pointed out what Mandy was doing when Snow asked. As soon as Slightly rounded the clock tower, Mandy tackled him, causing gasps from the crowd below as they landed on the roof of the library.

Slightly looked down at his bleeding leg. "You're not supposed to tackle people."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." She apologized.

"You better heal me It hurts." He whined.

"Oh stop being such a baby!" Mandy said grabbing his arm and flying down to Regina.

"Can you heal him?" Mandy asked Regina.

"Yes, of course. Let me heal you too." She said noticing the cut on her arm.

"Not now. We only have like three minutes left." She flew off to join Henry and Tink in their pursuit for Nibs before Regina could say or do anything to stop her. He was the fastest Lost Boy and was going to be the toughest to catch.

"Henry, block that side!" Mandy screamed. Nibs turned around when he spotted Henry. Mandy was right behind him and surprised him. He dodged her and flew by her. Tink was the fastest out of any of them because she was a fairy. He was no match for her. She caught him just before time ran out. The crowd broke out with cheers and clapping when they came down to join the others.

"We almost won!" Slightly whined.

"Almost doesn't count. Back to the woods." Tink said pointing to the direction of the forest. They all took off with Tink following them.

"That little one is adorable." Snow exclaimed to Mandy.

"I know, I pay extra attention to him because he's so young." Mandy said agreeing.

"Aren't there people to take care of them?" Emma asked

"No. They're all orphans." Mandy responded sadly.

"There's no orphanage here?" Emma asked, looking to David and Snow for the answer.

"We've been down that road before, Miss Swan." Regina said annoyed.

"Oh, right. Hansel and Gretel." She said remembering the two kids months prior. "This whole fairytale thing is still weird."

Ignoring her, Regina turned to Mandy. "Can I heal your cut now?"

"Oh, I forgot about it." She said holding out her arm.

"You should've let me heal this sooner." Regina said looking over the wound that was still bleeding.

"I couldn't waste any time. I wasn't going to let them win." Mandy whined.

"Someone's a little competitive." Emma observed.

"Just like her mother." Snow added. Mandy and Regina shot Snow the same glare that made her look away.

"Well I told you Henry wouldn't get hurt so I did my job." Mandy said looking at Emma and Regina.

"I didn't want you hurt either." Regina hissed causing Mandy to pout. "This might hurt a little since you waited so long." She said as she began to heal her wound. Mandy winced.

"Ow." She groaned.

"I said it might hurt…" Regina said sternly.

"It's not that. It's my head." She responded holding her head.

"When Peter hit you?" Henry asked.

"He hit you?" Regina asked shocked as she lifted Mandy's chin to inspect her face.

"We were trying to stop him from taking the Pixie Dust. He is flying to London." Henry added.

"_That's _why he wanted to know how Gold got across the town line!" Emma exclaimed.

"You told him?" David hissed.

"Well that was before i knew there was Pixie Dust!" Emma argued back.

"What happened in the mines?" Regina asked ignoring the father daughter fight happening next to her.

"I sent Henry into hiding. I didn't want him to get hurt. Peter came, we fought…" Mandy responded her voice trailing off.

"How many times are you going to fight with him today?" Emma asked crossing her arms.

"You fought before?" Regina asked surprised.

"I'll explain later." She said to Regina. Regina looked at Emma and she mouthed that they broke up. "This time we fought, like physically. He hit me while I was down."

Regina looked over Mandy's face and head once more but she still couldn't find any cuts or bruises. "The Blue Fairy healed her and someone is guarding the mines." Henry informed them.

Mandy grabbed her head in pain again. "Doesn't look like the Blue Fairy did a very good job." Emma noticed.

"She just needs rest. I'm taking her home." Regina said wrapping her arm around Mandy.

She pulled away. "I have to find Peter before he gets to Wendy." Mandy exclaimed.

"Wendy?...As in Wendy Darling from London?" Emma questioned.

"You know her?" Snow asked surprised.

Emma shook her head. "From the movie…you shouldn't be worried about her. She's probably like 50 by now.

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked confused.

"She's from this world. The curse only affected Storybrooke and nowhere else. She kept aging." Emma said trying to get Mandy not to worry so much.

"He's gonna be in for a rude awakening when he finds her." David said.

Mandy laughed." Good!...ow." She said grabbing her head in pain.

"Let's go Miranda. You need to rest." Regina said as she grabbed her hand and led her away.

She turned around." You're a great flyer Henry!" Mandy yelled. Regina turned and nodded in agreement. "A natural!" She added before continuing to walk to her car.

**This chapter is kinda longer than I had originally planned it to be but I hope you enjoy anyway! Don't forget to review!  
**


	17. Chapter 17 Emotions

Chapter 17: Emotions

Peter followed Gold's directions easily and was across the town line within minutes. He had no trouble flying again and headed straight for London. He finally made it after a few hours and set out for Wendy's house. He remembered exactly where it was. He watched from the house from a rooftop across the street. He saw a little girl getting ready for bed. A smile spread across his face when he thought he would be seeing Wendy again. He flew over to the window but stayed hidden. The little girl walked over to the window and was looking out, enjoying the beautiful night sky. Peter flew up and startled the young girl causing her to scream and fall backwards.

"Wendy?" He asked as he stood in the frame of the window.

"Mom!" The girl screamed.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just trying to find someone who used to live here." Peter said kindly.

The girl's mother came through the door and was shocked to see someone standing in the window frame. She looked a little closer, trying to see his features in the dark.

"Peter?" The mother asked.

"How do you know my name?"

"It's me, Wendy."

"Wendy?" He asked as he flew closer to her and studied her face. "You've changed."

"I know Peter." She laughed. "It's because I grew up."

"Why?"

"Because that's what happens in this world." She pulled the little girl out from behind her. "This is my daughter, Jane."

He just stared at the girl. "Jane, why don't you go have your snack now." She said pushing the girl out of the room. Peter sat on the floor, acting like a little kid who didn't get his way. She decided to join him and on the floor.

"So whatever happened to Corinne?" Wendy asked.

"What do you care?" He said rudely.

"Well I knew you two were a thing…"

"But that was before I met you! _We_ were supposed to be together." He argued.

"Peter, I was 13 and naive. I didn't know what I wanted then. It was a brief infatuation." Wendy responded trying to make Peter understand. He was still just a boy himself.

He thought about what she had said. He was upset. "How did that day at the Lagoon go?"

"Ahh, that day. Now you have to remember, I was a young girl." She reminded him.

"Just tell me what happened!" He shouted.

"Well, I was jealous of Corinne and I wanted you for myself. Back then, I was willing to do anything to get what I wanted." She said truthfully.

"Even kill her?" He asked arching his eyebrows.

Wendy nodded. "I'm not proud of what I did. If I could change it, I would."

"I believed you. I chose _you_ over her that day because I really thought you were telling the truth!" He yelled angrily.

"I'm sorry. I hope I didn't cause _too much_ trouble." She said apologetically.

"I broke her heart because _I. Believed. You." _He said slowly and angrily.

"I'm sure you can patch things up! You're still young." She said trying to sound positive.

"You don't understand! I completely threw her to the side like a piece of trash all because of you!" He screamed as he stood up.

She stood up as well. "Peter, calm down."

"Did she try to kill you _after_ the stunt you pulled?" He asked.

She nodded. "Technically, it was the mermaids but she didn't do anything to stop them."

"I could see why."

She ignored his comment. "As interesting as Neverland was, I'm glad I came back home."

"Great for you…you're not the one with the problem. Thanks for nothing!" He said angrily before flying out the window.

"Peter, wait!" She screamed after him but he kept on flying.

* * *

Regina put Mandy straight to bed. She whined and complained that it wasn't even dark outside but Regina wasn't having any of it. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. The night passed and Mandy finally woke up. She didn't even make it down the stairs when Cora caught up with her.

"There's my girl!" She said wrapping her arm around her granddaughter who was still waking up.

"Morning." She said groggily.

Cora began to lead her to the kitchen." Regina told me what happened yesterday. You're better off without him, dear."

Mandy kept her head down without saying a word. Regina saw them come in. She dropped the newspaper she was reading and walked over to Mandy.

"How are you feeling, darling?" She asked, placing her hands on the sides of Mandy's face.

"Fine, I guess." She said depressed as she walked over and sat at the table. She sunk her head into her hands and sighed.

"Would you like something to eat?" Cora asked.

Mandy shook her head. "Isn't there a spell or something that can make someone love you?"

Cora and Regina exchanged glances. "Um…ugh..." Regina fumbled her words. She didn't know what to say.

"There is, but it's not the same as having someone truly love you. Love is a complicated thing." Cora jumped in when she noticed her daughter searching for words to say.

"You can say that again." Mandy sighed.

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm here dear." Cora said sweetly as she sat down next to her.

Regina looked at Cora and arched her eyebrows. "Seriously?!"

Cora looked at Regina as her jaw dropped in shock. "What? I can be a good listener and give advice."

Regina rolled her eyes. "That's hard to believe." She mumbled to herself but still audible to Cora.

"No, it's not! I'm a changed woman." Cora said proudly.

Before Regina could disagree with her mother, Mandy interrupted. "I need to practice my magic again."

"We can. Why the sudden urge to practice?" Cora asked.

"I couldn't even protect myself from Peter, who's powerless!" She said frustrated.

"Is that how he was able to hit you in the head?" Regina questioned.

Mandy nodded in confirmation. "There was barely a scratch on him when I used magic. I was basically defenseless yesterday."

"That's strange. Your magic should be very powerful." Regina said.

"Were you angry?" Cora asked.

Mandy shook her head. "Not that mad, why?"

"You're most powerful when you are working from your emotions. You've proved that the last time we practiced." Cora said.

"Yes but her magic should at least do a little damage, no matter how much emotion she gives." Regina argued.

"I agree." She said to Regina. "Why don't you go get changed and we'll practice." Cora said to Mandy. Mandy did as she was told and went to get changed.

"What's wrong with her magic mother?" Regina asked concerned.

"I don't know right now but I am determined to figure it out." She responded.

The doorbell rang and Regina answered it. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see who was there. "Henry!" She exclaimed. "And Miss Swan…" She said unhappily. "What brings you by?"

"We wanted to see how Mandy was doing." Henry explained.

"We?" Regina asked.

"Yea, their fight was pretty ugly yesterday and she seemed distraught. I just wanted to check in." Emma said.

Regina gave her formal smile. "Well that's very thoughtful of you. Please come in. Miranda is just changing."

Mandy came down the stairs. "Not anymore." She noticed Emma and Henry. "What's up?"

"Just seeing how you're doing." Henry said.

"I'm hanging in there..." She answered truthfully.

Henry pulled Mandy aside, out of earshot form Emma and Regina. "I know you're depressed and have a lot going on right now but could you do me a favor?"

"Um…sure. I guess." She answered hesitantly.

"I need you to distract Emma for like 2 hours or so." He began saying as Mandy arched her eyebrows just like Regina. He continued. "Emma won't let me go anywhere or do anything by myself and I wanna see Tiger Lily without her tagging along."

"Why can't you just tell her to back off a bit?" She asked.

"She still thinks Gold has a hit on me." He answered. Mandy laughed at Henry's attempted mob talk. "Peter said he 'would deal with me later' in the mine yesterday. I don't know what that meant."

"I'm not sure but he's in London right now I'm guessing." She said.

"So will you do it?" He asked eagerly.

"Right, um…I have an idea but I doubt Regina, Cora and Emma will like it. Play along." She answered.

"So…how's Cora doing now that she has her heart back?" Emma asked trying to fill the awkward silence between her and Regina.

"Fine." Regina answered not wanting to get into a deep conversation especially about her mother.

"Good, good." She said not knowing what else to say to her. She was grateful that Mandy and Henry came back over.

"Emma, would you like to stay and practice magic?" Mandy asked as they walked over to them.

Regina shot her a glare and Emma's jaw dropped. "I don't think Miss Swan is interested in magic that much." Regina said trying to avoid Emma staying.

"It's still really unfamiliar to me." Emma admitted.

"That's why you should stay and practice with us. Get used it, ya know?" Mandy exclaimed.

"Yea! See what you can do!" Henry chimed in.

Emma looked to Regina for confirmation. "Your choice, Miss Swan."

"For a little while I guess." Emma finally said.

Mandy and Henry smiled as they gave each other a low high five so Regina and Emma wouldn't see. Regina was not thrilled of Emma's staying. "Shall we?" Regina asked as she tried to sound pleasant. They all headed to the back yard, where Cora was already waiting.

"What's this extra baggage that's following you Regina?" Cora asked referring to Emma.

"Miss Swan will be practicing magic with us today." Regina replied.

"This could be interesting." Cora mumbled to herself.

"Cora." Emma said nodding to the older woman.

"Emma." She nodded back. "What are you able to do?"

"Um, I'm not really sure. It kinda just happens." She replied.

Mandy pulled Henry aside and told him to wait a few minutes, once everyone is distracted, to sneak off and see Tiger Lily. Henry agreed with her plan.

"Miranda, come here." Cora commanded, pulling her away from Henry. She obeyed and walked over to Cora.

"Stand here. You will be practicing with Emma." Cora said standing behind her and placing her hands on Mandy's shoulders.

"But she doesn't know what she's doing. It's not much practice for me." She whined. "Can't I practice with you?" She asked looking up at Cora.

"I'll be guiding you and Regina will be doing the same with Emma." Cora replied.

Regina was talking to Emma about strategy on the opposite side. "Magic is about emotion and…"

Emma interrupted. "Yea, I know."

"Well if you know, then you don't need my help." Regina replied crossing her arms.

"Are you ready down there?" Cora yelled down to them.

"As ready as she'll ever be." Regina answered Cora without taking her eyes off Emma. Emma just rolled her eyes. Regina and Cora both backed away from their "students". Mandy didn't waste any time. She threw out her hands sending Emma flying back. Emma sat up with a bewildered look on her face.

"You could've easily blocked that." Regina said simply. Her voice in disgust.

"How?" Emma asked getting to her feet.

"Oh, now you want my help?" Regina asked, her eyebrows raised.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yes Regina. I'm asking for your help." She hated to admit it but she needed to learn how to use her magic. It wasn't like she had many options to choose from.

Regina smirked. She liked hearing that 'The Savior' needed her help. "Think about what you want to happen, what you want to do with your magic." She instructed.

"You see how she just popped right back up?!" Mandy exclaimed. "She should _at least_ stay down for a minute."

"You're being sloppy with your magic." Cora shot back.

"What do you mean?" She asked putting her hands on her hips.

"You're just throwing magic left and right without thinking about it. Concentrate on the spell you want to use. That's how your spells will be stronger and more affective." She advised.

Henry didn't want to leave; he was so interested in their practicing of magic. Mandy gave him a nod, which was his cue to sneak off. He tiptoed back into the house slowly. No one noticed his absence.

Mandy concentrated on the spell she wanted to use on Emma. She summoned a fireball in her hand and threw it in Emma's direction. Emma kept Regina's advice in mind as she thought of a shield to protect her. A bright yellow mist appeared in a circle as she held out her hands. As the fireball hit the shield, it made her stumble backwards a little because of how much power and force that was in it. Emma smiled at her accomplishment.

"Don't smile yet, Miss Swan. The battle isn't over." Regina smirked.

Emma rolled her eyes. "You can call me Emma, ya know. I think we're on a first name basis by now."

Mandy frowned. "I did what you said but it didn't really do anything." She whined.

Cora shook her head. "Emma shielded herself. If that was used on someone without magic, it would've done a lot of damage."

"Fine. I think you should attack this time…Emma." Regina suggested.

Emma smirked." And how do I do that?"

"Emotion." Regina said mockingly. "I thought you knew that."

"There's nothing else?" Emma asked.

"Focus." Was all Regina said.

"Thanks…you're a big help!" Emma said sarcastically. She closed her eyes as she tried to summon some emotion but she just wasn't feeling anything. She didn't know which emotion to focus on.

"Any emotion will suffice." Regina said as she looked at Emma's troubled face. Emma kept her eyes closed. It was like Regina could read her mind. She thought about Henry and her parents. A smile spread across her face. She looked down and noticed she just created a ball of energy. She was surprised she created anything at all. Once she was ready, she threw it at Mandy. Mandy created a force field around her but she didn't expect Emma's power to be as strong as it was. She fell to the ground but didn't get hurt.

"You two are pathetic." Cora said shaking her head and crossing her arms.

"Well _I_ don't really know what I'm doing. I don't know what her excuse is." Emma said pointing to Mandy on the ground.

"I just didn't expect it to be that strong. That's all." Mandy said angrily as she stood up.

"Mother, go easy on them." Regina said.

"They'll get nowhere fast if I go easy on them." Cora shot back.

"Fine, let's continue." Emma said.

"Alright, let's go." Mandy agreed.

Emma focused her energy and emotion and a yellow light flowed through her hands. She shot her hands out and the magic shot from her fingertips. Mandy knew what she was up too and generated her own magic. Blue light emanated from her hands as she held them out. The connection of The Savior and The Falling Star's magic was powerful. Cora and Regina could feel how much power was being used as the ground beneath them began to shake a little bit. Emma nor Mandy broker their focus. It was the first time their magic connected but it wouldn't be their last. Their magic together was starting to become intense so they slowly began to draw back on how much they used. Magic started shooting left and right. When Emma and Mandy finally stopped, Regina looked around to assess the damage.

"You broke my vase!" Regina shrieked.

"Oh Regina, stop whining." Cora said as she waved her hand and the vase was back in one piece.

"Where's Henry?" Emma asked looking around the yard.

Mandy panicked. He was supposed to be at least on his way back by now. It's been over and hour since he left. He probably lost track of time she thought to herself. She had to buy him some time.

"He's probably in the bathroom." She blurted out. Well that was a stupid excuse, she thought to herself. It was the first thing that came to mind.

"I'll go check." Regina said as she headed into the house followed by Cora and Emma. Mandy hit herself in the head with her hand. "Shit!" She mumbled to herself. She raced by Emma and Cora to jumped in front of Regina to stop her from going any further. She stopped her before she even got out of the kitchen. "No you can't!" Mandy screamed putting her hands up to stop Regina from going anywhere.

"And why not?" Regina asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Because…ugh…because he might be a while." She lied. That wouldn't by him a lot of time if they believed her, she thought.

"What are you hiding?" Regina asked impatiently.

"Me? Hiding something? Why would you think that?" Mandy asked trying to sound relaxed and in her natural voice.

"Miranda, I've known you long enough to tell when you're lying or hiding something." Regina replied.

"Really?" Mandy said in disbelief.

"Really. Now spit it out." Regina commanded.

Mandy looked down at her feet not wanting to make eye contact with Regina. "Henry isn't upstairs.

"Well where is he?" Emma asked frustrated.

"He went to see Tiger Lily." She said keeping her head down.

"Alone?!" Emma yelled. Mandy nodded. "Why did you let him go by himself? Gold might still try to kill him."

"Peter." Mandy whispered to herself. She realized what Peter meant when he said those words to Henry in the minds. He was going to kill him.

"Did he say where he would be?" Cora asked.

"In the woods. That's where they usually meet." She said coming out of her realization.

"You promised you would protect him…and now you send him out alone!" Emma shouted at Mandy before running through the rest of the house and out the front door.

"I'm sorry." Mandy whispered.

Regina sighed. "Let's go." She said as she grabbed Mandy's hand and pulled her along followed by Cora.

* * *

Henry was talking to Tiger Lily and having a good time. He didn't notice Peter come up behind him.

"Henry…"

Henry quickly turned around. "Peter…what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice trembling.

"I told you I would deal with you later and now's the time." Peter said in a deep voice.

"What are you talking about Peter? You're not making any sense." Tiger Lily said looking confused as she made his way towards him.

"This doesn't concern you Tiger Lily." He screamed. She stopped moving. She had never heard him scream like that before and she was scared.

Henry stood in front on Tiger Lily to protect her. "Stay behind me." He whispered to her.

Peter drew a hunting knife from his pocket. "I'm sorry I have to do this Henry."

"You're going to kill him?!" Tiger Lily asked freaking out.

"No. He's not!" A voice said from behind. He turned around and saw Emma, Cora, Regina and Mandy standing there. Peter quickly grabbed Henry and Tiger Lily putting them in front of him as he held the knife to their necks.

"Regina, use your magic! You're better than me." Emma whispered urgently.

"I can't. I might hit the kids." She replied frantically.

"What are we going to do? Anyone have a plan?" Emma asked.

Mandy stepped forward. Regina grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "What are you doing?" Regina asked quickly.

"I need to do this. Please." Mandy pleaded. Regina hesitated but let her go. Mandy walked closer.

"Stop Miranda! Stop moving!" Peter screamed.

She stopped walking not wanting to push him too far too soon. "Why are you going to kill Henry?"

"The same reason you were." He replied. "I made a deal with Gold. The difference is I don't care if he dies. He's not my friend _or_ my family."

"Peter, you're better than this." Mandy said trying to reason with him.

Peter tightened his grip around the kids, holding the knife closer. The kids let out a slight cry.

"How was Wendy?" She asked trying to distract him.

"Old." He said angrily. "She told me what really happened that."

"And…"

"She attacked you first." He said.

"I told you I was telling the truth!" Mandy exclaimed.

"Is this going to take long?" Cora yelled. Regina hit her in the arm indicating her to shut up.

Peter ignored her. "But you just sat there while the mermaids were trying to kill her. You're just as bad as she is."

The anger was building inside Mandy. First he had Henry and Tiger Lily hostage, and now he knows the truth about that day and still hates her. She wasn't playing around anymore. She quickly disarmed him and pushed Tiger Lily to the side with her magic. His real grip was more on Henry. Emma and Regina ran over to Tiger Lily to make sure she was okay. They helped her up and brushed the dirt off of her. Regina looked her over to see if she had any cuts on her. She didn't. Mandy and Peter faced each other. She took a few steps closer. He was eyeing the knife on the ground, only a few feet away. He was debating whether or not to reach for it as he held Henry even tighter.

"Don't come any closer or I'll snap his neck." Peter warned. Henry's face shown pure panic.

Henry moved with Peter as he bent down to get the knife. Mandy quickly took a few steps closer. Peter sliced Henry's neck, enough to make him bleed. Henry winced in pain.

"Henry!" Emma screamed as she raced forward.

"Stop moving!" Peter warned Emma.

"Oh just hand over the boy already!" Cora nagged, fed up with the whole situation. She hated playing games.

"I was so close to coming back to you but then I remembered how _evil_ you've become." Peter said to Mandy.

"Evil? You think I'm evil?" She asked in disbelief.

"Gold manipulated you!" He yelled.

"Just as he is doing to you! You're no different." She shot back.

"I made a deal. I'm not proud of it but I have to follow through. I signed a contract." He argued.

"We can fight Gold together! I'll help you." She said offering him a genuine smile.

"I don't want your help! I don't want anything to do with you anymore." He screamed.

Mandy became very upset and angry. Her emotions were driving her. Her focus was purely on Peter. She flew out her hands. A strong burst of magic escaped, sending Peter flying backwards hitting his head on a rock. Henry just stood there as a gust of wind passed him. Emma and Regina rushed over to Henry, hugging and kissing him. Mandy just stood there with a blank look on her face and watched everyone moving. It was like slow motion to her. It took a few moments to realize what just happened. Cora walked over to Peter and checked his pulse. They all watched her as she stood up and slowly shook her head.

"He's dead." Cora said. All eyes shifted to Mandy. They couldn't tell what was going through her mind.

The words Cora just said didn't quite register. "What?" Mandy whispered.

"I'm so sorry, dear." Cora responded.

"No, there's gotta be a mistake." Mandy said as she ran over to him. Regina caught her before she could get to him.

She was fighting hard, trying to free herself from Regina. "Let me go!" Mandy screamed.

Cora walked in front of her, blocking her view of Peter's lifeless body. She placed her hands on Mandy's face. "Honey, he's gone. He won't be coming back."

"Mandy slowly stopped fighting Regina as Cora's words sunk in. Tears started rolling down her face. She leaned back, Regina still holding her. Her head rested on Regina's chest. "He can't be dead. He just can't." She whispered as she cried. Regina wrapped a protective arm around her. She knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. Henry wanted to comfort her, it was the least he could do after she saved his life. He walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"Henry, not now. Give her some time." Emma said.

"I kept your promise. Henry's safe and now Peter's dead!" Mandy yelled at Emma.

Emma wasn't ready to be yelled at. "I'm sorry about Peter." She whispered. "But I'm very appreciative of you saving Henry's life."

Mandy sighed. "Could you all just…leave me alone? I want to say goodbye to Peter." She whispered.

Regina hesitated in letting her go. "Please." Mandy begged her. Regina knew how important it was to get to say goodbye. She never had the chance. She didn't want to take that away from her daughter. She let her walk over to Peter.

Mandy sat down next to him and put her hand on his chest. "I'm so sorry, Peter." She sobbed. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She continued to talk to him as the others watched from afar.

"Is there anything I can do?" Emma asked.

Cora shook her head. "Nothing that will bring him back."

"Henry, come here. Let me heal your cut." Regina said.

"Have any of you seen Tiger Lily?" Henry asked as Regina waved her hand over his neck, healing the wound.

"Not since we helped her up." Emma said.

"I saw her take off in that direction. Probably was frightened, poor thing." Cora said.

"Regina, I'm going to have to take his body to bury it." Emma said acting as sheriff.

"I'll take care of it." Regina replied.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked.

"We've got it Emma. Thanks." She hissed.

Henry and Emma left. Regina was watching Mandy sob over Peter's body, her heart breaking as a rush of memories flashed before her. Her sobbing over Daniel's body; it was like de ja vu.

"Mother, what killed him? Miranda or his head injury?" Regina asked.

"Miranda." Cora whispered. Regina didn't say anything as she kept the sad look on her face. "I think we should take her home now." Cora advised.

Regina agreed and walked over to Mandy. "Honey, we need to go now."

"But what about Peter?" Mandy asked through her tears not letting go of his hand.

"We can put him in the mausoleum…if you'd like." Regina offered.

Mandy nodded as Regina helped her up. "Mother, would you take care of this?" Regina asked motioning to Peter.

"Of course, dear." Cora replied. Regina disappeared in a puff of smoke with Mandy as Cora took care of Peter.

**Well this chapter turned out longer than I had planned but I hope you liked it! Please review, I would love to know what you all think.**


	18. Chapter 18 Some Cheering Up

Chapter 18: Some Cheering Up

The memorial service for Peter was held two days later outside of the Mills Family Mausoleum. A good amount of people showed up. It was a sad event but the people most affected were Mandy and the Lost Boys. People paid their respects and left one by one. Mandy and the boys were the last to stand by his coffin when Hook walked over.

"What are _you_ doing here, Hook?" Nibs asked rudely.

"I came to pay my respects." He answered sincerely.

"Thank you." Mandy whispered.

"He was a worthy opponent." He said smiling knowing that the boy was dead.

"He bested you every time!" Slightly yelled.

Hook ignored the boy. "He always did put up a good sword fight. I'm just upset I wasn't the one to kill him." He sighed. "You're lucky you did." He said to Mandy.

"You can go now Hook." Mandy hissed not wanting to deal with him.

"I see you got Regina's temper along with other features…"He said looking Mandy over before walking away.

"He is so annoying!" Mandy mumbled.

"And creepy...don't forget creepy." Cubby added.

"Why did you have to kill him anyway?" Nibs asked angrily.

"We already had this discussion…I told you I didn't mean to." Mandy argued.

"You should've controlled your magic." Slightly added.

"There's a lot of things I should've done, but didn't. I wish I can go back and change what happened, but I can't!" Mandy screamed drawing people's attention. The boys walked away without saying a word.

"Guys, I'm sorry!" She yelled after them.

"Mandy?" Snow said as she tapped her on the shoulder. Mandy turned. "I couldn't help but over hear. Is there anything I can do?" Snow asked trying to help in any way she could.

"You could take the boys to the Blue Fairy, if you don't mind? They need someone to look after them." Mandy said hoping Snow would do her this favor.

"Of course. I'll take care of it" Snow said smiling.

"Thank you. I would do it myself but they are kinda mad at me right now." Mandy said trying to force a smile.

Snow pulled her into a hug. "It's no problem, really." Normally, Mandy would pull away by now but she didn't have the strength nor did she want to. She really liked Snow and wished she grew up with her as her older sister.

Cora walked over. "Honey, it's time to move Peter into the mausoleum."

After David, Neal, Grumpy and surprisingly Hook brought Peter's coffin down and placed him next to another coffin, they left. Mandy walked into the empty room. It was cold and damp down there. She had only been down there one other time, when she and Regina came to get Cora's heart. She didn't really notice anything before but now she had time to take it all in. She noticed the other glass coffin next to Peter's and was curious as to who else was buried down here. She walked over and looked at the well-preserved body. She read the name on the side of the coffin. "Daniel." She whispered. "This must be my father." She thought to herself. She studied his features and was amazed at how young he looked. She thought about the life she would've had with Regina and Daniel. It would've been completely different than the one she had now. She took a deep breath before walking up the mausoleum steps to join Regina and Cora who was waiting for her outside.

* * *

A week had gone by since Peter died. Mandy didn't leave her room and wasn't up to talking to anyone. Regina knew what it was like to feel depressed but her mother never gave her time to be alone when Daniel died. She was always making Regina try on dresses, having tea, and preparing to become Queen. She was, after all, going to be married to the King soon.

Regina was making breakfast when Cora walked into the kitchen. "You have _got_ to get the girl out of that room. It's no good to dwell on the past." Cora said playing with the basket of fruit in front of her.

"She needs time to herself. I never had that when you killed Daniel. You always kept me busy." Regina argued.

"To keep your mind off that stable boy…and you had to focus on becoming Queen." Cora shot back.

"_You_ wanted to be Queen, not me! I could care less who ruled as long as I was happy…but that never seemed to happen." Regina yelled as memories started filling her head.

Cora put her hands up in defense. "I realize I may have overdone it just a little…"

"Overdone it?" Regina scoffed. "You basically smothered me!"

"Oh, don't exaggerate Regina." Cora said rolling her eyes.

"I thought you were supposed to be nicer now that you got your heart back." Regina growled.

"I'm working on it Regina. You're not making this easy." Cora hissed.

"It's not supposed to be easy, Mother!"

"Alright Regina, calm down." Cora ordered.

Regina took a minute to compose herself. "I'm sorry…I just…don't know what to do about Miranda. She hasn't been eating lately." Regina confessed.

"Well, you don't like my advice so you'll just have to figure it out yourself…" Cora said biting into an apple as the doorbell rang.

"Nothing new there…" Regina mumbled as she headed towards the door.

"What was that, Regina?" Cora asked.

"Nothing…nothing…" Regina replied as she quickly hurried out of the kitchen to answer the door.

"Henry, how are you?" She asked when she opened the door to see who it was.

Henry walked in and gave her a hug. "I'm good. I was wondering if Mandy wanted to hangout." He said.

"She won't come out of her room." Regina admitted.

"Still?" Henry asked in disbelief. Regina nodded. "Alright, I guess I'll find someone else to play with."

"No, wait!" Regina said grabbing his arm. "Maybe _you_ can cheer her up."

"How?" Henry asked.

"I don't know. You're always thinking of fun things to play. You would entertain yourself for hours when you were younger." Regina said remembering how cute Henry was when he was little.

"I'm not that creative now…" Henry sighed.

"Just try." Regina commanded as she pushed him up the stairs. "At least get her out of that room!"

Henry knocked on Mandy's bedroom door. "I'm not hungry." Mandy yelled thinking it was Regina again trying to make her eat.

Henry opened the door and walked in. "Good because I didn't bring any food. I'm here to play with you." He said as cheerful as a six year old.

"Sorry Henry, I'm not in the mood to play." Mandy said as she stared at the ceiling.

"I know you're still upset with what happened, but you need to move on…" Henry said showing tough love.

"I don't want to move on. I don't deserve to be happy." Mandy whined.

"Why do you think that? I'm sure Peter would want you to move on and be happy." Henry said trying to convince her to return to her normal self.

"He didn't want me happy…he hated me in those final moments." Mandy sighed.

"All the more reason to move on…" Henry said shrugging his shoulders.

"It's not that easy Henry." She replied. "I loved him."

"Well at least get out of this room!" Henry complained.

"And go where?" Mandy asked as she sat up on the bed to look at him.

"Let's go outback. It's really nice out today." Henry suggested.

"Fine, but I'm not playing any games." Mandy said as she looked for her sandals.

"Fine. No games. Promise." He said crossing his fingers behind his back.

* * *

Regina saw Mandy and Henry heading for the backyard. She gave Henry a thumbs up before going up to Mandy's room. She couldn't wait to clean her room and do laundry, it's been weeks. Mandy was lying out trying to get a tan. She had nothing better to do since Henry made her come outside. She had her sunglasses on but her eyes were closed. They were sitting out there for a little over an hour when Henry started to get bored.

"Can we do something?" He whined.

"You promised. No games." She answered without moving.

Henry noisily got up and stomped his way toward the house. Mandy turned her head to peak at Henry but resumed her tanning position when she saw him walking away. As he was walking towards the house something caught his eye. He picked up the green hose and began to quietly unravel it.

"This should be fun." He mumbled to himself.

He snuck closer to Mandy. She must've still had her eyes closed because she didn't move as he got closer. He aimed the hose at Mandy and squeezed the trigger. Mandy began screaming as cold water hit her body. She held up her hands defensively. Henry laughed at her failed attempt to stop the water. He kept spraying her and she kept screaming.

"Henry, stop! It's freezing!" She yelled.

"No. You need some fun in your life." He shot back as he kept the hose aimed at her.

"This is not fun for me!" She screamed as she attempted to stand up and block the water.

"Well I'm having a great time!" He said as he changed the setting on the hose from the rain setting to the jet setting.

"Ow Henry! That hurts! Stop!" She yelled. "I was having a good hair day today."

"I didn't think it looked _that_ good." He laughed. "You're such a girl."

"That's it!" She disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. He stopped spraying the hose and began to spin slowly, trying to figure out where she would show up. He backed up slowly towards the house and hit something behind him. He quickly turned around and began spraying the hose, aiming at the figure in front of him.

"Henry! What the white rabbit are you doing?!" Cora screamed as she got hit with water.

He stopped when he saw who it was. "Oh, sorry Cora. I thought you were Mandy."

Cora just stood there dripping wet. "Well where is she?"

"If I knew, you wouldn't have gotten wet." He shot back.

"You sound just like Regina and Miranda. I hate when you three come back with smart alec remarks." Cora said crossing her arms.

Before Henry could respond, Mandy suddenly appeared behind him. She made a bucket of water fall on his head.

She walked over to Cora who held out her hand for a high five. "Direct hit!" Cora said. They both laughed.

He lifted the bucket off of his head. "I don't know why you two are laughing." He began spraying both of them with water. Screams escaped both women. Cora flung out her hands and made Henry fall backwards. When he stood up, he was covered in mud.

"I only got you wet, not dirty." Henry whined.

"You never said there were rules." Mandy argued.

Henry noticed the hose was wrapped around Mandy's foot. He yanked the hose and Mandy was face first in the mud within seconds. Cora began laughing.

"I thought you were on my side!" Mandy said as she spat out mud, her face fully covered in it.

"I am. But that was funny." Cora said pointing to Mandy in the mud.

"You wouldn't be laughing if it happened to you." Mandy said getting to her feet. She noticed the hose was now wrapped around Cora's foot. Mandy looked at Henry to make sure he saw. He did.

"Because it wouldn't be funny." Cora said as her face turned serious.

"Are you sure about that?" Mandy asked arching her eyebrows. Henry knew it was time to make Cora fall. He pulled and she was soon covered in mud. It was now Henry and Mandy's turn to laugh.

"Henry! That wasn't very nice!" Cora said angrily.

"You're not on my side so I don't have to be nice." Henry shot back.

"That's what you get Cora." Mandy smirked before walking towards the house.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Cora said to Mandy as she flung out her hand, freezing Mandy's feet so she couldn't go anywhere.

Mandy almost fell by the sudden freeze of her feet. "Ugh, seriously Cora?!" She shouted as she tried to turn to face Cora.

Cora tried to stand up. "I'm dead serious." She noticed Mandy's face. She shouldn't have said 'dead'. "Sorry, poor choice of words. But Regina wouldn't let you in her house covered in mud." Cora took one step and slipped, landing right back in the mud. A smile spread across Mandy's face as she watched Cora fall.

"Well I'm glad I can amuse you." She said to Mandy.

Henry looked down at Cora in the mud." You're a mess."

"Enough out of you!" She snapped her fingers and Henry was suddenly wearing a dress with a bright pink bow in his hair and makeup on his face.

Henry looked down and saw the dress. "You made me look like a girl!" He shouted.

Mandy laughed. "An ugly girl."

"We'll call you Henrietta!" Cora said smiling wickedly up at Henry. Henry smirked and sprayed Cora right in the face.

Mandy wanted to get Cora back for freezing her feet. She knew Cora hated White Roses. Mandy made them begin to grow all around Cora.

"No! Not white roses! You know they have to be red! Off with her head!" Cora screamed as she pointed to Mandy.

Mandy laughed at how worked up Cora was getting. "We're not in Wonderland anymore, Cora. That's not gonna work."

Cora flew out her hand. Mandy ducked and her spell hit Regina right in the face. Regina closed her eyes and scrunched her face when the spell hit. "What is going on out here?" Regina asked as she surveyed her once perfect backyard and the three mud covered people. "Why is my son wearing a dress and a bow in his hair?"

Henry's hand shot right to his hand as he felt the bow in his hair. "You just had to add a bow, didn't you?" Henry asked as he pulled the bow out and threw it to the ground.

"I thought it added a nice touch." Cora said smirking.

"Mother, explain this." Regina demanded.

"Hey, for once I didn't start anything. It was your messy kids." Cora shot back. Henry started laughing out of nowhere.

"What's so funny, Henry?" Cora asked as she followed his gaze to Regina. Mandy gasped as she saw the pimples begin to appear on Regina's face.

Mandy turned to yell at Cora. "You were going to give me acne?!"

"Well teenage girls hate acne." Cora said shrugging her shoulders.

Regina touched her face. "You gave me acne?!" Regina said freaking out.

"Apparently, grown women hate it too." Mandy said as she watched Regina freak out.

"It wasn't meant for you Regina. Grow up." Cora demanded as she rolled her eyes.

"Says the woman sitting in mud surrounded by flowers." Regina said pointing to Cora on the ground.

"You caught me in a bad moment. We are in the middle of a battle." Cora said angrily.

"Do you have to destroy my backyard in the process?" Regina complained.

"Oh Regina, lighten up!" Cora whined.

"Fine." Regina smirked as she made the Cheshire cat appear next to Cora who despised the cat.

"Hellooooo" The Cheshire Cat said in an echoing voice.

Cora jumped up and ran over to Regina. "Oh no! Not him! I'll take the white rabbit over him. Please get rid of that annoying cat!" Cora begged Regina.

"Get this acne off my face and unfreeze Miranda and the cat disappears." Regina bargained.

With the snap of her fingers, Regina's acne was gone and Miranda was unfrozen. Regina, in return, made the cat disappear.

"I always hated that damn cat. He confused the hell out of me when I was in Wonderland." Mandy complained.

"What about me?" Henry asked still in the dress.

"You weren't part of the deal." Cora said flatly.

Henry decided to get back at all three of them. He began spraying them with the hose. Mandy had enough of getting wet by this stupid hose. She took off chasing him. He dropped the hose and began running around the backyard with Mandy close behind.

"How do you run in dresses?" Henry shouted as he was holding up his pink dress as he kept running.

"Ladies never run in dresses." Cora replied.

"I did." Mandy and Regina said in unison.

Cora looked shocked. "Well that's very unlady like. I thought I raised you better than that Regina." Regina just rolled her eyes as she watched her kids running around.

Mandy finally caught up to Henry. She grabbed the back of his dress. He tripped over the hose and fell directly into the mud, pulling Mandy down with him. They both began laughing at how ridiculous they must've looked. It warmed Regina's heart to see her kids playing and Mandy's laughter again. She knew Henry could cheer her up. They continued messing around for the rest of the afternoon until they all grew tired and decided to call it a day. Since Henry was so good with the hose, he was in charge of rinsing everyone off before they entered the house. They all got showers and returned to the kitchen for dinner. Mandy realized she wasn't as depressed as she used to be and she had Henry to thank for that. She also realized that she rarely ate since Peter died. She ate everything on her plate at dinner; she even went back for seconds and thirds. Regina was pleased to see her daughter's smile and appetite return. She looked at the people sitting around her dining room table. Henry, Cora, and Mandy were all chatting away about the day's events. She couldn't be happier to have her family with her and see them enjoying themselves.

**I didn't know where to go from the last chapter so it took me a little while to get motivated. I wanted to add some excitement since the last chapter was kinda depressing so I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!**


	19. Chapter 19 Amends and Curiosity

Chapter 19: Amends and Curiosity

Mandy was up early the next morning. She felt bad that the Lost Boys' lives have changed so much in the past few weeks. First, they were living on their own for a while, then Peter dies and now they can't live in their own home. She knew how much they hated living with the fairies; she hated it too but they needed someone to look after them. She couldn't do it herself. Ebony, one of the fairies, answered the door when she knocked. She didn't need her to take her to the boys; she knew exactly where to find them. As she was walking through the halls, she remembered all the pointless chores she was forced to do. The only thing that made her time here valuable and worthwhile was that Peter was here to help her through it. The boys weren't too thrilled to see her when she walked through the door.

"What are you doing here, Mandy?" Slightly asked rudely when he saw her in the doorway.

"I wanted to see how you all were. I missed you guys." She replied as she entered the room.

"We missed you too." Tootles, the baby of the group, said as he ran over and gave her a hug.

"Speak for yourself." Nibs mumbled as he crossed his arms.

"Look, I know we didn't end on a good note the last time we met but I want to make amends." Mandy said as she held Tootles' hand as they walked closer to the group.

"Why should we believe you?" Asked Binky, one of the twins.

"Because we've been through a lot together and I care about you guys." She said truthfully as she sat on the floor with them.

"First you abandon us, then you kill Peter, and then you throw us back in this stupid place?!" Nibs shouted as he stood up and got in her face.

"I know this all happened so fast and I'm really sorry how it all unfolded." She said calmly.

"You know how much we hate this place. You were always complaining when you were here." Slightly added.

"I know, I know. Totally hypocritical on my part but I needed someone to look after you guys." Mandy said not trying to make excuses.

"We can take care of ourselves." Marmaduke, the other twin said.

"Now that's a lie even you can't tell successfully." Mandy said.

"Why did you make us come here though?" Cubby asked curiously.

"Where else could I send you?" Mandy asked. They didn't have an answer.

"You gotta get us outta here! You owe us that much." Slightly said aggravated.

"It's not like you're locked in here and never allowed out. You can still go to the cabin and hangout." Mandy replied.

"Will you play with us again?" Tootles asked as he sat on her lap.

"Of course! I'll be around more; I'll make sure of it."

"Bring Henry too. We like him." Cubby added.

"Alright. How bout we meet you at the cabin tomorrow? I can get some Pixie Dust." She said cheerfully.

"You can?!" The boys said in unison. She nodded and she moved Tootles off her lap and stood up.

"How?" Binky asked.

"Don't worry about. See you tomorrow boys." She said smiling before she headed out the door.

* * *

**Later That Night**

Mandy had a lot on her mind that night. She looked at the clock and couldn't believe it was 12:30am. She was dying to know more about her father ever since she saw him in the mausoleum. She was always looking for the right time to ask Regina about him but she didn't want to stir up any unpleasant feelings for her. She decided to get up and walk around. She noticed Regina's light on. She decided she was going to ask her tonight. When she knocked on the door, she heard a faint 'Come in' and opened the door.

"Mom?" She whispered.

Regina put down the book she was reading. "Miranda, what are you doing up so late?" She asked.

"I can't sleep." Mandy replied.

Regina patted the space next to her on the bed. "Come here. Get under the covers."

As Mandy climbed onto the bed and got under the covers, Regina took off her glasses and put them on top of the book on the nightstand next to her.

"I want to talk to you." Mandy blurted out.

"What about? Peter?"

Mandy shook her head no. "My father." She said shyly not knowing how Regina was going to react. She noticed Regina's expression change. "If you don't want to talk about, I understand. I just want to know more about him."

"No, it's fine. I want to tell you about him." Regina wrapped her arm around Miranda and pulled her closer. Her head resting on Regina's chest as her hand stroked the side of Mandy's head. "My parents hired Daniel to teach me how to ride when I was about 13. He was 15 at the time. I didn't like him at first." Regina admitted.

"You didn't?" Mandy interrupted as her head shot up to look at Regina in shock.

"Goodness no! We couldn't stand each other. It definitely wasn't love at first sight. We were always fighting over stupid little things. I think that's why my mother kept him around…he wouldn't be a distraction to me if I hated him." Regina said thinking about the first day they met.

"So what happened?!" Mandy asked eagerly.

Regina laughed at how childish she was acting. It was like telling a story to the six year old version of Miranda that she never had the chance to do. "Well if you stop interrupting, I can finish the story." She said jokingly.

Mandy pouted. "Sorry."

"Since we spent almost every day together, we started to become attracted to one another. It started out as an innocent romance but turned into something greater, something real. We fell in love but had to keep it a secret so we pretended to hate each other still. We loved going on horseback rides together."

"How old were you then?" Mandy asked.

"About your age now. But it wasn't until I was 18 when I got pregnant with you." Regina replied.

"I don't need to know the details." Mandy said not wanting to hear how she was conceived.

Regina laughed. "That was one of the happiest days of my life; when I thought we were going to be a family. He was so excited to be a father and start our lives together. He loved you very much."

Mandy just smiled. She didn't know what to say. Regina put her hand on Mandy's cheek. "You remind me so much of him."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you pain." Mandy said putting her head down.

Regina pulled her in, holding her close. "Honey, you have nothing to be sorry about. It's because of that that I love you all the more." She kissed the top of Mandy's head.

"What made you fall in love with him?" She asked curiously since they didn't like each other in the beginning.

Regina didn't hesitate. She knew the exact moment she fell in love with Daniel. "We were horseback riding one day. It was one of the many times where all we did was fight. I got off my horse and sat against a tree. I was in a bad mood from the moment our lesson began and he knew it. He could read me like a book. He asked me if my mother had anything to do with my bad mood and of course she did. I freaked out on him and he left me sitting by the tree. He was gone for a short time but when he returned, he was carrying something behind his back. When he stood in front of me, he held out my favorite flower, a heliotrope. I asked him how he knew."

"How did he know?!" Mandy interrupted excitedly.

Regina put her finger up to Mandy's lips so she would stop interrupting. "He said he's been watching and paying attention to me for a while. He asked me why i loved that flower so much. I told him that it meant 'eternal love' and that i wanted to find that one day. So did he. We talked for the rest of the afternoon and slowly fell in love with him. From that moment on, i knew he was the one for me."

"That's the cutest story I've ever heard!" She said wiping a tear away. "Is it bad that I'm mad at Cora for killing Daniel?"

"Not at all. I'm still mad at her myself. I don't think I will ever truly get over it but i still love her. She's still my mother and your grandmother." Regina replied truthfully. Mandy wanted to get off the topic of Cora and back to her father.

"Could you tell me what he was like?" Mandy asked yawning as she cuddled closer to Regina.

Regina took a minute to think about Daniel. "He was funny…he could always make me laugh or cheer me up when I was sad. He was very caring and was always there for me whenever I needed him. He was the only one I could talk to that would truly understand me."

Regina looked down and noticed Miranda had fallen asleep. "Sweet dreams, darling." She said as she kissed the top of her head before shutting the light out and snuggling next to her daughter.

* * *

When Miranda woke up the next morning she was confused as to why her alarm didn't wake her up. She then realized she was still in Regina's room. She was going to be late for her play date with the boys at the cabin. She still had to get the Pixie Dust she promised them. She quickly got dressed, picked up Henry and headed to the woods. She was friends with the fairy on duty and she gave her enough for the 8 of them. They were waiting for the Lost Boys to arrive but they never did. They waited over an hour.

"Where are they?" Henry whined.

"I have no clue." Mandy answered truthfully.

"Are they still mad at you?" Henry asked.

"I don't think so." She shook her head. "They forgave me yesterday and seemed fine when I left."

"So what do you wanna do now?" Henry asked.

"I'm not waitin anymore. Let's get outta here." She said. She sprinkled Pixie Dust over both of them.

"We're flying?" He asked shocked.

"Would you rather walk?" Mandy hissed. Henry shook his head. "That's what I thought. Let's go."

They flew back to Regina's house and walked inside. "You would think they would've told us they weren't going to show up." She said complaining to Henry. "You don't know how much that annoys me."

They walked passed the living room and noticed Regina and Emma sitting there. "Emma, what are you doing here?" Henry asked.

"I have something to tell you…both of you." She replied.

"What is it?" Mandy asked nervously as she noticed their serious faces.

"Come sit down." Regina said motioning to the couch. They were hesitant at first but obeyed.

"Something has happened." Emma said.

"What?" Henry asked aggravated that she wasn't spitting it out already.

"Tiger Lily and the Lost Boys were reported missing earlier this morning along with a few other children." Emma finally blurted out.

"Way to break it to them gently…" Regina said to Emma.

"How else was I going to say it, Regina?" Emma shot back.

"Where could they have gone? Storybrooke isn't _that_ big." Mandy commented.

"We are looking for them as we speak but I need to ask you two a few questions." Emma said seriously. They both nodded.

Emma continued. "When was the last time you saw or spoke to them?"

"I saw the boys yesterday when I went to visit them. We made plans to hangout today but they never showed up." Mandy answered.

"And I was with Tiger Lily until around seven last night." Henry added.

"Okay, that helps. Is there anything else?" Emma asked. They were silent. "Well if you think of anything else, let me know. I'll keep you updated."

"You can show yourself out, right Emma?" Regina said more as a statement rather than a question.

"Yea, I got it." Emma replied before she left.

"Are you two okay?" Regina asked.

"I think we are still processing all of this." Mandy replied.

"How bout I fix you both a little snack." Regina suggested. They agreed.

"This doesn't make sense. They wouldn't just run off. Would they?" Henry asked as soon as Regina was out of earshot.

"No and Tiger Lily would never disobey her father." Mandy added.

"What about the boys?" Henry wondered.

Mandy shook her head. "They like to mess around but they know better than to play this kind of joke."

"Something had to happen during the night." Henry realized.

"Yes." Mandy said confirming Henry's theory. "But it doesn't explain how they were kidnapped. Tiger Lily is very well guarded, especially at night and the boys were safe with the fairies. If anyone broke in, the fairies would know about it."

"So what should we do?" Henry asked.

"Are you up for a little detective work?" Mandy asked with a devilish smile.

Henry nodded. "We can call it 'Operation Night Owl'." He said eagerly.

"Why that?" Mandy asked confused how he came up with a name so quickly.

"Because the kidnappings happened during the night and owls stay up and keep watch…like we will be doing. So we are the Night Owls. Get it?" Henry answered explaining his reasoning behind the operation name.

"o0o0o, I like it!" Mandy said excited. "Operation Night Owl begins tonight!"

**I know this isn't the longest chapter but I have another all ready to go so I'll be posting that soon. I just didn't think they fit together smoothly so that's why they are separated. Let me know what you think.**


	20. Chapter 20 Operation Night Owl

Chapter 20: Operation Night Owl

Henry gave Mandy his extra walkie talkie so they could communicate at night. They both snuck out of their houses at midnight and met at their usual place, the stables.

"You're late." She said flatly when she saw Henry running up.

"Sorry. Emma stayed up to watch a movie. I couldn't leave until she fell asleep." He said out of breath.

"Alright, well we better get going. We don't have much time. You know Regina is an early riser and I would really prefer _not_ to get caught." She replied sternly.

"So is Snow…do you think it was a royal thing?" He asked curious if that's what royal people did in the Enchanted Forest.

"I wouldn't know…I'm not royal. I grew up poor, remember?" She reminded him.

"Right, I forgot." He said remembering her story. "But if Regina was a Queen doesn't that make you a Princess?" He asked as they walked.

"Um, I guess. I never really thought about it." She said honestly. "You're royal too though."

"That's weird to think about…"

"Yea I know. You put it in my head now. Thanks." She said sarcastically. "We need to get Regina and Snow talking. There's so much history between the two and they keep it bottled up. If they just talked and let it out, I think it would help."

"One operation at a time." He said laughing.

She smiled. "Fair enough."

"So what's the plan?" He asked.

"I was thinking we walk around town and see if we see anything suspicious going on." She replied.

"But what if someone sees us?" He asked trying to keep up with her.

"Well it's not like we're gonna run around town screaming. We're gonna be sneaky about it." She answered.

"Is it such a good idea to be walking around when there is a kidnapper on the loose? I mean, we _are_ kids too…" He said worriedly.

She stopped walking. "Are you backing out?"

"No, I'm just weighing the options…" He said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, are you in or out? I'm not forcing you to do this." She shot back.

"I'm in. I'm in." He answered.

"Great. Let's not waste any more time." She said as she kept walking. They snuck around town, hiding behind buildings, lampposts, benches, bushes, anything they could find when they saw someone walking by. They followed some suspicious characters but they all led to dead ends. They kept this up for a few hours.

"This isn't working." Henry finally said.

"Maybe we need to try something else." Mandy pointed out. Henry didn't answer, he seemed distracted.

"Henry? Henry hello? Calling Henry!" She said waving her hand in front of Henry's face to catch his attention.

"Do you hear that?" He asked still staring off into the distance.

She looked in the same direction. "Hear what?" She asked confused.

"Singing." He replied.

"What singing? Henry, I don't hear anything." She said with a puzzled look in her face. He didn't respond. "Henry, pay attention!" She said snapping her fingers in front of his face. He quickly snapped out of it. "What?" He asked.

"What were you hearing?" She asked concerned.

"What are you talking about?" He asked back.

"You just told me you heard singing…"

"No I didn't." He said denying it.

"Yes you did. You specifically told me you heard singing." She argued.

Henry looked at his watch. "We don't have time to argue about what I heard or didn't hear. It's almost 4am."

"Oh no! That means Regina will be up soon. We need to start heading back." She replied. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"What about you? I don't want you traveling alone." He said acting more like a big brother than a little one.

"I won't" She said and she ruffled his hair. "I'll just teleport myself home…and _please_ don't get caught!"

"I won't I'm good at sneaking around." He answered confidently.

Once she got Henry home and teleported herself back to her room it was close to 4:30am. She quietly hid her bag, kicked off her shoes and jumped into bed. She didn't bother getting changed, she was too tired. She was happy she didn't get caught and she was hoping Henry didn't either. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. She didn't even hear Regina check on her a half hour later.

* * *

Mandy awoke to a thump outside her door. She looked at her clock and saw that it was only 9am. She crawled out of bed and opened the bedroom door, her eyes still heavy and half shut. She saw Cora on the floor and cursing at the table in the hallway.

"Cora? What are you doing?" She asked groggily.

"Nothing dear, just tripped. I'm fine, go back to sleep." She answered in her best cheerful voice. She tried to stand but became dizzy, her hand on her head trying to steady herself.

Mandy helped hold her steady. "Are you drunk?" She asked smelling the alcohol on her breath.

"Don't be silly." Cora said patting Mandy's cheek. "I don't get drunk."

She laughed. "And you're wearing yesterdays' clothes."

Cora looked Mandy over. "So are you, dear. Why don't we keep this between us? Regina doesn't have to know about it."

Mandy took a moment to think it over. She certainly didn't want Regina to find out what she was up to last night and for some reason neither does Cora. That will be the next thing on her list-find out what Cora is up too. "Fine. It stays between us, but you might want to take a shower before Regina finds you. You smell like alcohol."

"It wouldn't hurt to get a shower yourself." Cora answered before walking to her room.

Mandy smelled herself. Cora was right, she definitely needed to get a shower and out of these clothes. She knew she wasn't going to get anymore sleep today; 4 ½ hours would have to do it. She quickly jumped in the shower. While she was straightening her hair, she heard her walkie talkie going off. Henry told her Emma and David were about to hold a town meeting regarding the recent kidnappings. She informed Regina and Cora about the meeting and Regina agreed to go. Cora wanted to stay home and sleep; her hangover getting to her. She also knew the townspeople weren't too fond of her so it would be best if she just stayed home. Mandy and Regina headed down to the town hall where a lot of people were already gathered, waiting for the meeting to begin. They took a seat in the back just as Emma stood up to the podium.

"Thank you all for coming. As you all know, several children have gone missing. Twenty more went missing last night." Several gasps escaped the audience. As soon as it quieted down, Emma continued. "This has escalated rather quickly and we are looking into it."

"You say that, but what are you actually doing about it?" Jefferson yelled from the middle of the crowd.

"We are doubling our patrol at night. That seems to be when the kids are taken." Emma replied as best she could.

"How many kidnappers are they?" Another person asked.

"We don't know yet." She answered truthfully.

"How are they taking so many kids at once and what do they want with them?" A man in the third row asked.

Emma wasn't ready for all these questions and didn't have the answers. "We don't know that either."

"What do you know?" Jefferson asked fed up with her lack of answers to this problem.

David noticed Emma was sinking fast. He asked Emma if he could take over. She didn't hesitate to let him take control of the situation. He had more experience with handling crowds and giving speeches than she did.

"Jefferson, I know your daughter was one of the children taken but she wasn't the only one. There are a lot of parents affected and we are doing everything we can right now so you have to bear with us for the time being." David said focusing on Jefferson at the moment before addressing the rest of the crowd. "We are working around the clock to find these missing children. But we need you, as parents, to keep your children close at all times, especially during the night. Don't leave them alone. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me or one of the officers. Thank you all for your cooperation and coming to this meeting. We will keep you all updated."

Everyone started to either go home or to the officers to ask questions. When Emma saw Regina and Mandy were heading towards the door, she quickly got back on the microphone. "Regina and Miranda" they turned at the mention of their names "I need to talk to the two of you."

Regina rolled her eyes as she headed up to the front, Mandy following close behind. All eyes on them. Mandy didn't like being the center of attention but Regina didn't seem to mind, she seemed use to it. Emma was waiting for them with Henry and Snow.

"What is it, Emma?" Regina asked already sounding fed up with the blonde in front of her.

"I just thought you'd like to know that Henry and your daughter were out roaming the streets while everyone else was sleeping." Emma answered as she crossed her arms.

Regina looked at Mandy shocked but she was too focused on Henry to notice her mother's glare. "You told me you weren't going to get caught!" She hissed.

"I wasn't planning for Emma to wake up." He shot back.

"Do you two even realize what's going on?" Snow asked.

"You put yourself and my son in danger." Emma said angrily toward Mandy.

"You _both_ could've been taken." Regina added, also angry.

"Whoa, hold up." Mandy said putting her hands up signaling them to stop talking. "You don't all have to yell at once…"

"Children are going missing…do you know how serious this is?" Regina asked sternly lifting Mandy's chin to look in her eyes.

"And you two are kids…perfect targets. Alone at night." Emma added.

"Yea, yea. We know." Mandy said rolling her eyes.

"We were only trying to help." Henry said trying to lighten the mood a little but it didn't work.

"Henry, this is a grown up job. We don't want you, any of you, to get hurt." Snow said calmly.

"Why can't you just stay at home and play video games like any other kid your age." Emma sighed.

"Snow, I need your help." David said calling her over to answer questions.

"Please stay safe you two." She said to the kids before going to assist David.

"Whose idea was this?" Regina asked.

"Both of ours…" Henry said keeping his head down.

"I think you two need some time apart. You're getting into too much trouble together." Emma said.

"But that's not fair." Mandy whined.

"It wouldn't hurt." Regina said to Mandy's surprise. "You agree with her?!"

"Calm down, Miranda. We don't want anything to happen to you or Henry. It's just until this kidnapping business is taken care of…assuming it will be taken care of shortly." She said glaring at Emma.

"We're doing our best, Regina." Emma replied frustrated.

"This sucks." Henry chimed in.

"You just _had_ to get caught, didn't you?" Mandy said rhetorically.

"I'm better at sneaking out than back in." He shot back.

"Well maybe you should work on that." She snapped as she got in his face.

"Alright, that's enough." Emma said separating them. "Regina, I suggest you keep a close eye on her." Emma said pointing to Mandy.

"I think I can handle it, Emma. I've been parenting for a while now." Regina argued.

"No offense but she's snuck out before without you knowing about it." Emma informed.

"And Henry has done the same to you. Maybe you should take your own advice before suggesting parenting tips to others." Regina instructed before grabbing Mandy's arm and pulling her along.

**I would love to know what you think about this chapter. I have an idea of where I want these next few chapters to go but your feedback is appreciated. Please review:)**


	21. Chapter 21 A Little Surprise

Chapter 21: A Little Surprise

Mandy burst through the front door of the Mills Mansion with Regina right behind her. "I can't believe you took her side!" She screamed angrily.

"Miranda, it's just for the time being. Stop acting like a child." Regina said glaring at her. Mandy ignored her and stomped up the stairs.

"You're sleeping in my room tonight, do you hear me?!" Regina yelled up to her.

"No. I'm not!" She yelled back as she passed Cora at the top of the landing.

"What is with all this screaming?" Cora asked just before Mandy's door slammed.

Regina noticed Cora was still in her nightgown. It was the middle of the afternoon. "Are you just getting up?"

"Are you avoiding my question?" Cora asked back.

"Are you avoiding mine?" Regina shot back.

"I asked you first." Cora replied.

"Seriously, Mother? 'I asked you first'? You sound like a teenager."

Cora shrugged. "Answer the question."

Regina sat at the bottom of the stairs and sighed. "She's mad at me for taking Emma's side earlier. She can't see Henry until the kidnappers have been caught." Cora sat down next to her on the step as she proceeded to explain. "They've been getting into too much trouble together. They even snuck out last night in search of the kidnappers themselves!"

"So that's where she was last night." Cora thought to herself. "Don't they know how dangerous that was?!" Cora asked Regina.

"That's what we told them." She said in a low voice.

"Give her some time. She'll come around." Cora said wrapping her arm around Regina.

"Since when are you giving motherly advice?" Regina asked looking at her mother with a smile.

"I'm getting the hang of it! Sorry it's taken me all these years." She said sincerely.

"Better late than never." Regina replied.

"I suppose." Cora said putting her head down.

Regina nudged her to look back up. "Well, I like getting advice from you. I may not agree with everything…"

Cora nudged her back playfully. "Regina, quit while you're ahead."

* * *

Mandy was in the bathroom later that night. Her period was late and she was worried she might be pregnant. She was staring at the back of the box for the pregnancy test she had bought the other day. She had been putting off taking it; she was too worried as to what the outcome would be. "I can't wait any longer." She said to herself and proceeded with the test. She was pacing back and forth in the bathroom waiting for the results. "We were careful! I can't believe this is happening right now. Maybe it's just stress; that can cause someone to have a late period, right?" She asked herself. "Ugh, I don't know." She said as she slid down the wall and sat on the floor and held her knees close her chest. The timer she set finally went off. She slowly picked herself off the ground and walked over to the sink. She took a deep breath before she picked it up and saw the little plus sign. "Oh my god. I can't believe this. I can't believe this." She said as she sat back down on the floor, leaning against the wall and began to cry. "This can't be happening. What am I going to do?" She threw the stick across the bathroom in anger. "Regina's gonna kill me and then Cora's gonna kill me. This isn't good." She was crying so much it was hard for her to catch her breath. "I can't be a mother; I don't know how to be one. I can't do this." She stayed in the bathroom for over an hour trying to figure out what to do with no luck.

When she finally came out of the bathroom she was surprised to see Regina in her room. "Oh my god. Did she know? She couldn't know, could she?" She thought to herself.

Regina noticed Mandy's red eyes. "Have you been crying?" She asked concerned.

"No. What are you doing here?" Mandy asked trying to change the subject.

"Since you won't sleep in my room with me, I'm sleeping in here with you." She said trying to sound cheerful.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Mandy whined as she rolled her eyes.

Regina crawled into bed. "Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"This is ridiculous! I'm not going to sneak out again so you don't have to worry." She informed.

"Until the kidnapper is captured, you're stuck with me whether you like it or not." Regina replied.

"This is so unfair." Mandy complained crossing her arms.

"Lights out in 5."

"Seriously?! It's only like 10pm. I'm _not_ going to bed this early." She hissed.

"Well just be quiet." She said as she lied down, pulled the covers up and closed her eyes. Mandy put her earphones in and sat on the window seat as she watched the trees blow in the wind. Regina peaked her eyes open to see what her daughter was doing. The last thing Mandy wanted was to be around Regina right now, she just wanted to be alone. She was also tired after being up all night the night before and only getting a few hours of sleep. The hour of crying didn't help. The music and trees calmed her, causing her to fall asleep quickly. Regina got up and took the Ipod from Mandy so she could move her to the bed. She tucked her in and kissed her goodnight before shutting the lights and going to bed herself.

* * *

Regina awoke to the doorbell ringing and someone pounding on the door. She had no clue who would be at her door this early in the morning. Cora came out of her room as Regina was heading down the stairs. "It's 8 in the morning. Don't people have common courtesy in this world?" She asked following Regina to the door.

"I'm coming!" Regina yelled before she got to the door.

Before Regina could say a word, Emma began speaking. "Please tell me Henry is here!" She said in a panic.

"No. Are you telling me he's missing?" She asked angrily. Emma put her hand on her head and began pacing.

"We all slept in the living room. There is no way someone got in without us knowing." Snow said reassuring them that they took the necessary steps to protect him.

"I knew he wouldn't be safe with you!" Regina yelled pointing at Emma.

"He could've easily been taken under your watch as well." Emma shot back.

"Well he wasn't." Regina replied.

"We don't have time to argue about this. We need to stick together." Snow ordered.

"I agree with Snow Bunny." Cora said nodding in Snow's direction.

"Snow Bunny?" Regina asked as she looked at her mother confused.

"Yes. Dr. Hopper told me to try to get friendlier with people and nicknames might help so I'm trying them out." Cora said nonchalantly.

Regina couldn't believe her mother was seeing Dr. Hopper. "Since when are you seeing the cricket?"

"Tomorrow will be a week." She replied proudly.

"Well I like my nickname." Snow said cheerfully giving Cora encouragement. "What are everyone elses?"

"I thought you would!" Cora said with glee. "Well I haven't given everyone a nickname but Emma's is Emmy Bear" Emma looked at Regina like 'seriously'. "Regina's is Gene Bean, and Mandy's is candy Mandy…or do you like Dandy Mandy better?"

"Don't call me that, mother. This is not the time for this. Go get Miranda up, please." Regina instructed. Cora walked back in the house and up the stairs yelling 'Dandy Mandy, wake up!'

Regina just rolled her eyes. "Come in."

"Has she been like this ever since she got her heart back?" Snow asked as they followed Regina into the house.

"She's been getting nicer but this nickname thing is new. She's been cheerful lately and it's weird." Regina said honestly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your little trip down Cora lane but we have these missing kids to find." Emma said as they heard Mandy and Cora coming down the steps.

"Cora, stop calling me that! It's weird and too damn early for that shi…stuff." She said stopping in the middle of the stair case when she saw Regina and company at the bottom of the stairs.

"It's a cute name." Cora mumbled to herself as she stood behind Mandy.

Mandy rubbed her eyes. "Why did you send her to wake me up? I was enjoying my dream."

"Henry's missing." Regina said quickly.

"Wait, what?" She asked, making sure she heard correctly.

"Do you know where he is?" Emma asked hoping she knew.

She shook her head. "No. You cut off all communication between us. Remember?"

"I'm just asking a question." Emma stated.

"You weren't woken up by crazy Cora screaming in your ea,r so sorry if I'm a little cranky." She shot back.

"I gave you a nice nickname, Miranda. You could at least appreciate it." Cora complained.

"Mother, not the time!" Regina warned.

"How many kids have gone missing?" Cora asked in serious tone.

"About 75 the last time I checked. There could be more by now." Emma answered.

Cora looked worried. "Mother, do you know what's going on?" Regina asked.

"I have my suspicions. Get changed. We have business to take care of." She instructed as she began walking back up the stairs.

"Why? Where are we going?" Mandy asked following Cora.

She kept walking as she answered her question. "To pay a visit to Rumplestiltskin."

* * *

They all headed down to Gold's shop as soon as they were ready. Mandy insisted she eat breakfast. She wanted to make sure she was eating well for the baby; she didn't tell them that was her reasoning though. Snow told David to meet them there. Gold was talking to Neal, they had made amends, when the group walked in with Cora leading the way.

"To what do I owe this visit from you people?" Gold asked not so thrilled.

"Henry's missing." Emma said pushing her way to the front of the group.

"He is?" Neal asked in shock.

"And you think I have him?" Gold questioned.

"No, we are here because…well I don't know why Cora made us come to you." Snow said confused looking to Cora for the answer.

"There are almost a hundred kids who have gone missing in the middle of the night. The same thing happened in the Enchanted Forest all those years ago. Remember?" Cora said repositioning herself in front of the group.

"What happened?" Mandy asked curiously.

"You think she's returned?" Gold asked Cora with a serious face.

"Who returned?" Regina asked trying to get an answer as to who they were referring to.

Cora nodded. "It was only a matter of time before she needed more children."

"What are you two talking about?" David asked.

"You don't have to be so cryptic." Emma added.

Gold began to explain. "Many years ago, before any of you were born..."

Neal interrupted. "I was born."

"You were in another land. You wouldn't know what I'm talking about." Gold informed.

"Continue." Regina said sounding a little annoyed.

"Hundreds of children were taken in the middle of the night, just like what's happening now." Cora said.

"Only many of those kids did not return." Gold added.

"What do you mean, 'didn't return'." Snow asked worried.

"What happened to them?" Neal asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

Gold and Cora were hesitant to answer. "Before we answer any more questions, we need to know if Mandy saw or heard anything while you were out exploring the other night." Cora said.

They all turned to look at Mandy. She thought for a moment. "Nothing too suspicious…I don't know if this is important but it was really early in the morning. We were about to come back when Henry heard singing. I didn't hear anything though. He wouldn't answer me until I snapped him out of it. It was like he was in some kind of trance or something."

Cora and Gold glanced at one another. "What was that?" Emma asked noticing the pairs reaction to Mandy's story.

"What was what?" Cora asked trying to play dumb.

"That glance. You two know something and you're not telling. Spit it out already!" Emma commanded.

Gold sighed. "There is a woman who lures children to her by singing a hypnotizing song. It can only be heard by children."

Cora continued. "Once she gets them into her house, she poisons them and sucks out their soul."

"Why?" David asked disgusted.

"She needs their youth to stay young and beautiful." Cora said as if he should've known that.

"Wait, why wasn't she taken? Why didn't she hear the song?" Neal asked confused pointing to Mandy who stood slightly behind Regina.

"She's a rare exception." Gold said waving the question off.

"And why is that?" David questioned.

"She's the Falling Star…it comes with its advantages." Gold said shrugging his shoulders.

"What the hell does that mean?" Emma asked just as confused as the rest of them.

"There's no time to go into detail. To make a long story short, it's like Emma being the Savior." Gold said frustrated with all the questions.

"That still doesn't explain why she's immune." David added.

"She's not immune…She's blocking the singing out somehow." Gold said realizing why Mandy hasn't been taken yet.

"So how do we find her lair?" Snow asked trying to move the conversation along.

"Miranda can lead us to it." Gold said looking straight at Mandy.

"I can?" She asked surprised. Gold nodded.

"No. I don't want her doing that." Regina declared putting a protective arm in front of Mandy.

"We won't let her go anywhere. She just needs to be hypnotized. She'll be fine." Cora said reassuring her daughter that Mandy would be okay.

"Regina, think of Henry and all the other kids." Emma added trying to convince Regina to let Mandy do it.

Mandy pulled on Regina's sleeve to get her attention. "Mom, I can do it."

Regina looked at all the faces in the room before she finally gave in. "Fine. What will this entail?"

"We should go back to your house. We can't do anything until the wee hours of the morning." Cora said.

"I'll explain everything later tonight." Gold added.

Regina sighed. She couldn't believe she agreed to this. "I guess I'll see you all tonight then." She said before she, Cora and Mandy left.

"Could you please explain what this 'Falling Star' is?" Emma asked Gold.

"Very well." He replied as he proceeded to tell them about Miranda, her abilities and her connection to Emma.

**Hope you liked this chapter. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated! **


	22. Chapter 22 Hypnosis

Chapter 22: Hypnosis

As the day progressed, Mandy was getting nervous for tonight, not to mention she would have to tell Regina about the pregnancy sooner or later, but she couldn't let Regina notice. If she did, she wouldn't let her go through with it. She also had to hide her morning sickness that seemed to come whenever she was around Regina and it didn't just pertain to the morning. Mandy put on her brave face for the rest of the day. Waving off Regina's constant worrying. By 10pm, the normal group began arriving at Regina's. The Charming's arrived first followed by Neal and Gold. Once everyone showed up, Cora and Gold began explaining their plan in further detail to the rest of the group.

"So how is this all going to work?" David asked once everyone was gathered in the living room and was comfortable.

"Well what needs to happen first is for Miranda to fall asleep. Once that happens, we wait until she hears the song." Cora said as she took her spot next to Gold who was standing in the middle of the room.

"And when she does?" Emma asked wanting to know more information.

"We will be able to control her." Gold said simply.

"What do you mean 'control her'?" Regina asked wanting to know exactly what he meant.

"She will be under the influence of the child snatcher but we will be able to communicate with her and gather information. She needs to drink this first." Gold said pulling a little bottle from his jacket pocket.

"What are you going to do, poison her?" Emma asked, laughing at her joke. No one else thought it was funny. She looked confused.

"Poisoning someone is no joking matter, Emma." Snow said correcting her daughter.

"Oh right…I forgot I was surrounded by a bunch of fairytale characters who solve their problems by poisoning people and then waking them up with a simple kiss." She said throwing her hands in the air.

"You know you are one of those fairytale characters, right?" Mandy hissed. Emma heard her although she chose not to respond. She never thought of herself as a fairytale character. That was just too weird for her.

"She is not drinking that!" Regina said firmly.

David tried to reason with her. "But if it will help her fall asleep quicker…"

Regina interrupted. "If it were your daughter, you wouldn't let her drink it." David just stared at her. She was right, if it were Emma in her shoes, he wouldn't let her drink it. Gold wasn't the most trusting person after all.

"This is not going to make her sleep. It will only let us control her while she is hypnotized. If she doesn't drink it, then there is no point in being here." Gold informed.

"And why should I believe you?" Regina asked crossing her arms.

"Because my grandson was taken and I want him back." Gold replied angrily.

"So you can kill him yourself?" Mandy questioned implying he still wants Henry dead.

Gold stared at Mandy with anger. "No. I want him safe."

"No offense Gold, but you _did_ try to kill him twice." Emma added.

"He's changed now, trust me." Neal said putting his hand on Emma's shoulder to reassure her he's telling the truth.

"That's hard to believe." Regina mumbled but loud enough to be heard.

"We are wasting time." Snow said sighing.

"Regina let her drink it. It won't harm her. I promise." Cora said holding her hand up like a girl scout would when making a pledge.

Regina saw the truth in her eyes when she made her promise so she agreed. "Fine but if something happens to her as a result of drinking that, I'll have your head on a plate Gold!" She threatened.

Gold rolled his eyes at Regina's pathetic threat. "Here. Drink this." He said roughly handing the potion to Mandy. She looked at it unsure if she should drink it but she gulped it down anyway. She was hoping it wouldn't do anything to the baby. "That tastes horrible!" She said making a sour face as she handed the bottle back to Gold.

"I didn't say it would be pleasant." He shot back.

"You could've warned me!" Mandy said trying to get the taste out of her mouth.

"She should try to sleep now." Snow suggested. "It's getting late."

"She should sleep in here so we can keep a better eye on her." Cora added.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep with everyone staring at me." Mandy said looking at everyone in the room.

"We will be in the kitchen. Regina, you stay and try to get her to fall asleep." Cora instructed.

Gold stood right in front of Mandy, making sure she understood his next instructions. "You need to relax and clear your mind so the potion will work. This is crucial."

"I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances." She said a little frustrated. They all headed into the kitchen to give Mandy some quiet.

* * *

Regina came into the kitchen after a half hour of trying to get Miranda to fall asleep with no luck. "I told her stories; read to her…I even tried singing." She said plopping into an open chair.

"We heard you singing…you're not bad." Emma commented.

"Someone else try." Neal said trying to move this along.

"I'll go!" Snow volunteered eagerly as she raced out of the kitchen before anyone could object. She wanted to spend some time with her step-sister.

"Mandy?" Snow whispered just in case she fell asleep.

"Hey Snow." She whispered back as she sat up.

"Still can't sleep?" She asked sitting next to Mandy on the couch.

Mandy shook her head. "Listening to Regina reading and singing made me tired but…" She said her voice trailing off.

"But what?"

Mandy sighed. "Please don't tell my mom, but I'm nervous."

"It's okay to be nervous." Snow said smiling trying to offer her sister comfort.

Mandy was dying to tell someone about her pregnancy. She needed advice but she couldn't ask Regina or Cora. "That's not the only reason I'm nervous."

"Care to explain?" Snow questioned arching her eyebrow.

Mandy took a deep breath before telling Snow. She didn't know how she would react to her news but it had to be better than how Regina would react. It could either go really well or completely downhill in seconds. "You have to promise, and I mean seriously promise, you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you, especially my mother." She said moving closer to Snow so she could whisper better.

Snow felt like history was repeating itself. She didn't want to disappoint another generation of the Mills family. "I don't know if I'm the right person you should be telling any secrets to." She said shaking her head.

Mandy put her hands on top of Snow's. "I have to tell someone and you're the only one I'm kinda close to other than the Lost Boys, Regina and Cora…and I _can't_ tell them about this. I really need advice."

Snow was still unsure whether or not to let Mandy tell her secret to her. Snow saw the worried look on Mandy's face and the desperation in her eyes. "Alright, you can tell me but I can't promise."

Mandy was disappointed but she still wanted to tell Snow. She really needed someone's opinion. She leaned closer to Snow's ear and whispered, "I'm pregnant."

Snow's eyes grew wide. She was not expecting a pregnancy confession from the 15 year old. "Are you sure?" She whispered back.

Mandy nodded. "I took a pregnancy test last night and my period's late. I don't know what to do."

Snow didn't really know what to do either. She was never in this type of situation nor knew anyone. "Honey, the first thing you have to do is tell Regina."

Mandy shook her head. "No, I can't. I don't want to disappoint her. She'll be so angry with me." She said putting her head down in shame.

"Everyone lets a person they love down. It's a part of life." Snow lifted Mandy's chin. "Regina will love you just as much as she does now, if not more."

"You think so?" Mandy asked looking hopeful.

"Of course!" Snow exclaimed. "I'm not saying she won't be mad at first, but she will be there for you when you need her."

Mandy shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I guess I'll tell her after all of this is over. I want to help out as much as I can."

"What you need to do is rest." Snow ordered as she fixed the blanket so it would cover Mandy better.

Mandy shook her head no. "Not yet. Regina wouldn't let me help out if she thought I didn't feel good…and Gold and Cora said I would be fine."

"You have to understand where Regina is coming from." Snow said trying to make her listen. Mandy looked confused.

"She thought she lost you when you were a baby. She mourned your death every day after that and never really recovered. She just got you back and she will do anything not to lose you again. So if she comes across as over bearing or too protective at times, just know she wants to keep you safe and close to her. She loves you very much." Snow said defending Regina's actions. As a mother who lost her daughter when she was a baby, she knew how Regina felt. She didn't know if she was going to see Emma ever again, so she understood why Regina acted this way with Mandy.

Mandy smiled. "I'm really glad I found her. I spent most of life dreaming of her and how my life would've turned out."

"I can see tiny pieces or her former self coming through. I think she's finally healing." She said smiling back.

Mandy pondered over Snow's words. She realized that Regina had been mourning Daniel every day, with deep hatred for Snow. Of course it wasn't going to go away overnight but she hoped Regina could forgive Snow someday; she really liked her. "When she was your step-mother, what was she like?" she asked curious what her mother was like back then.

Sow sighed. "I loved her. I wanted her to be my mother, to be a family. She spent a lot of time with me. We got to know each other pretty well. We really only had each other to talk to. She's the one who helped me get back on the horse after my incident." Snow said remembering Regina before she changed.

Mandy smiled but it didn't last long. "She tried to get over my disloyalty to her but she just couldn't do it. I think she wanted to let me in again, to love me the way I loved her, but it was too painful. I think she felt like if she forgave me, she would be betraying Daniel." Snow said thinking about Regina in the days leading up to her transition.

"We could've been sisters and had so much fun together." Mandy said thinking about how her life would've been like growing up in the palace with Snow as an older sister. "I wish things turned out differently."

"You have no idea how long I wished for that! But we can still be sisters now, it won't be the same but it's a start." Snow offered as she grabbed Mandy's hand.

"I'd really like that." She replied smiling.

Snow smiled back. "Me too."

Mandy took a long pause before asking her next question. "So she wasn't a good mom?"

Snow tried her best to put this correctly. "She was under a lot of pressure at the time, especially from her mother, I realize that now. She was basically thrown into a marriage she had no interest in. She had no idea how to be a mother; she was only a few years older than me…and she certainly didn't want to be queen." Mandy just nodded as she took in all of the information.

Snow looked at her watch and realized they've been talking for a long time. "You really need to get to sleep. No more questions." She said pointing her finger at Mandy.

"I'm still nervous." Mandy admitted.

"I can tell you're tired. How about I stay with you until you fall asleep?" Snow offered holding her arm out for Mandy to come closer. Mandy slid closer to Snow and leaned on her shoulder, her head fitting perfectly in the crook of Snow's neck. Snow began running her fingers lightly up and down her arm which relaxed Mandy quickly causing her to fall asleep within minutes.

* * *

Gold and the rest of them came into the living room ten minutes later.

"Shh." Snow put her finger up to her lips then pointing down at Mandy who fell asleep on her chest. "She's sleeping."

"Finally!" David said a little too loudly and was shushed by everyone.

"How did you get her to sleep?" Regina whispered not too happy that Snow got her daughter to sleep but she couldn't.

Snow shrugged her shoulders. "I just talked to her…you already made her tired. She just needed to talk a little." She whispered back trying to give Regina the credit.

"Why didn't she talk to me?" Regina asked sounding jealous.

"You'll have to ask her…" She whispered not wanting to get in the middle of mother and daughter, even though she technically was.

"So now what?" Asked Neal.

"We wait…" Cora simply said and she took a seat on the other couch in the room.

They all followed Cora's example and took seats, either on the other furniture or on the floor. As it got later, they kept dozing off one by one. Mandy got off the couch and slowly began walking towards the front door without making a sound. Snow felt the sudden shift on the couch and opened her eyes slightly. She saw Mandy walking and shook Emma awake who was the closest to her.

"She's up! She's up!" Snow whisper-yelled so people would hear but not disturb Mandy.

Emma jumped up to block the door so she couldn't get out. Everyone awoke with confused looks on their faces but then quickly remembered what was going on. "Someone grab her. She's getting closer and she's freaking me out! She's like a zombie!" Emma said panicking.

"Be gentle so you won't wake her." Gold warned before David lightly scooped her up and placed her back on the couch. Mandy stood up only to be lightly held down.

"What now?" Neal asked.

Cora stood in front of Mandy. "Miranda. Miranda, what are you hearing?" Mandy didn't respond.

Gold stood next to Cora. "Mandy, I need you to sing us the song you are hearing." He said. Slowly but surely Mandy began singing the song.

"_Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land Of Enchantment_

_Come Little Children, The Time's Come To Play, Here In My Garden, Of Shadows_

_Follow Sweet Children, I'll Show Thee The Way, Through All The Pain And, The Sorrows_

_Weep Not Poor Children, For Life Is This Way, Murdering Beauty And, Passions_

_Hush Now Dear Children, It Must Be This Way, Too Weary Of Life And, Deceptions_

_Rest Now My Children, For Soon We'll Away, into The Calm And, The Quiet_

_Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land, Of Enchantment_

_Come Little Children, The Time's Come To Play, Here In My Garden, Of Shadows."_

As soon as she was finished singing the song, she tried to get back up again to leave. She was pushed back down and remained silent.

"That's a creepy ass song." Emma commented when no one else said anything.

"Disturbing." Regina said shaking her head in disgust.

"Mandy." Gold said trying to get her attention to ask her more questions. "I need you to concentrate on the place she wants go."

Mandy didn't answer. She kept staring straight ahead, almost in a daze. "Where is she taking you, Miranda?" Cora asked her voice soothing.

"Woods. Deep. Hidden. Only children." She said slowly only giving a few words.

"Okay, so it's deep in the woods and only kids…what?" He said trying to piece together the information she just told them.

"What about the kids Mandy? Only kids can what?" Gold asked wanting the answer eagerly.

"Can enter." She whispered.

"How are we going to save them if only kids can get in?" Emma asked throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.

"We send in a kid." Gold replied staring straight at Mandy.

"Oh no! She is not going in there. I agreed to this hypnosis but I will not allow her to go in there." Regina said her voice rising in anger.

Snow didn't want Mandy going in there either. She could get hurt and so could the baby. "I don't think she should go either." Regina was surprised Snow was on her side for a change.

"She wants me to come play." Mandy whispered as she stood once more only to be lightly pushed back down by David and Cora.

Regina kneeled in front of her and put her hands on Mandy's knees. "Tell her your mother won't let you." She said sternly.

"She doesn't like that answer." Mandy replied still staring off into the distance not making eye contact with anyone.

"Too bad. You're staying here." Regina informed.

Mandy whispered, "I have to go. I want to go."

Emma saw the worry on Regina's face. "That's it. I'm waking her up." Emma said walking over to Mandy.

"No. We need more answers." Gold exclaimed.

"We can't risk her safety anymore. That woman is dragging her to her lair." Snow declared as she agreed with Emma.

Emma lightly shook Mandy. "Mandy, Mandy wake up. Don't listen to her anymore. Wake up." She commanded. Emma snapped her fingers in front of Mandy's face.

Mandy refocused her eyes and looked around confused. "What happened?" She asked holding her head.

"You helped us find her location." Cora answered happily.

"That's great!" Mandy replied in delight.

"Do you remember anything?" Snow asked as she walked closer to her.

Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't remember anything I said. I just remember the path she wanted me to follow."

"Great! You can lead us there." David exclaimed.

"And that's the _only_ thing she is going to do." Regina warned.

"Can I take some aspirin first? I have a headache." Mandy asked still holding her head in pain.

Gold waved it off. "Side effect from the potion. It should wear off shortly." They all grabbed their jackets and headed out the door with Mandy leading the way.

**Well let me know what you think. I hope you liked this chapter. Please Review! The song Mandy sang you can find on YouTube. It's called "Come Little Children" if you wanted to listen to it.**


	23. Chapter 23 Into The Woods

Chapter 23: Into the Woods

Mandy was leading the way with the group following close behind. They picked up a few extra people on the way. Ruby, Granny, The Blue Fairy, Jiminy, and the 7 dwarfs joined them. They also told all the parents to wait by the edge of the forest and they would be told when to come when they found the witch. Mandy had to stop a few times to remember exactly which way to go. As they were walking, her mind began to wander. She thought about the little baby growing inside her. She had so many thoughts running through her head. "How am I going to take care of it? Will I know what to do? What would Peter say if he were here?" She was so deep in thought, she didn't hear Grumpy's question.

"Hello? Earth to Mandy?" Grumpy said tapping her on her shoulder.

She snapped out of her daydream when she heard her name. "What?"

"How much further?" He whined.

Mandy looked around. "We should almost be there. Just past those trees." She said pointing further up ahead.

Grumpy groaned. "Are you sure you're leading us in the right direction?"

"Do you _ever_ stop whining?" Regina questioned looking annoyed.

Grumpy glared at her. "I don't like you."

"Feelings mutual." She replied returning the glare.

"Oh there it is!" She exclaimed as she began running.

"Miranda wait!" Regina yelled firmly. Mandy stopped at the sound of her mother's voice. She hid behind the closest tree as she waited for them to catch up to her. When they finally did, they looked confused.

"Where is it?" David asked.

"What do you mean, 'Where is it'? It's right there!" "She said pointing directly in front of her.

"Honey, there's nothing there." Regina said putting her hand on Mandy's back as she stared at the empty space in front of her.

"Yes there is! I can see it, plain as day." Mandy argued.

"What the hell was in that potion you gave her?" Emma asked Gold.

"Is she hallucinating?" Snow then asked.

"No, I'm not hallucinating." Mandy said rolling her eyes. "It's right there. Why can't any of you see it?"

"Only children can see it." Gold said simply.

"So…what now?" Neal asked.

"Miranda, what else do you see?" Blue asked.

Mandy peaked out from behind the tree. "The cottage is quite big. I think there's a cellar…"

"Probably where she keeps the kids." Ruby noted.

"There's also two force fields surrounding the place." Mandy added.

"Two?!" David exclaimed.

"What kind of force fields?" Neal asked.

Mandy peaked again. "The outer one looks like it is meant to keep adults out while the inner one is meant to keep the kids inside."

"That explains why we can't see or hear anything." Cora said.

"Get down!" Mandy ordered. "Someone's coming." They all ducked behind the tree that was just big enough to hide them all if they squished together.

"Ow. David get off my foot." Snow whispered in pain. "Sorry." He replied.

"Emma, move your hair. It's in my face." Neal complained.

"Rumple, stop breathing down my neck." Cora whined. "It's creepin me out!"

"Get your elbow out of my side, Regina." Emma muttered.

"Achoo!" Sneezed Sneezy. "Be quiet!" Everyone whispered in unison.

"What's that smell?" Granny asked making a sour face.

"Sorry." Grumpy grumbled. "You didn't have to point it out."

"Who is it?" Ruby asked Mandy.

"I'm a little squished here!" Her voice muffled because she was under everyone. She slowly managed to crawl out of the pile. "It's Slightly! He's alive!" She exclaimed.

"Who?" Grumpy asked not recognizing the name.

"One of the Lost Boys." Snow answered.

"What's he doing?" Granny asked.

"I don't really know. He dumped a bag outside and is going back into the cottage." She replied as she watched what he was doing.

"So what's the plan now?" Jiminy asked.

"Ruby, go get the parents and bring them here. Regina. Emma, Cora, Blue and I will work on breaking down the outer force field, while Miranda works on the inner one." Gold said pushing one of the dwarfs away from him. Ruby began running in the direction they had just came from to bring the parents back.

"I thought I made it clear that Miranda was only leading us here and that was it." Regina said angrily.

"You also said that she was only doing the hypnosis but she's done more than that…" Emma noted causing Regina to glare at the blonde.

Blue tried to reason with her. "Regina, she's the only one that can enter. If she doesn't, those kids will most certainly die."

Regina was having a tough time making her decision. She didn't want to endanger one child's safety for another but it seemed like she didn't really have a choice.

"Is there any other way?" Snow asked breaking Regina's thoughts.

Blue shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

Mandy took a deep breath. "Looks like I'm going in…" She began running down the hill.

When Snow finally caught up to her, she grabbed her arm. "You can't! What about the baby? It could get hurt…you could get hurt." She whispered so no one else would hear. She was concerned for Mandy's safety.

"I know but I have to save all those kids, I'm the only one who can. I'm going." She whispered firmly.

"You have to tell her before you do anything else." Snow wasn't whispering anymore, her voice very serious.

"I will when I get back." Mandy said still whispering hoping Snow would catch on and return to a whisper.

"What's going on?" Emma asked when she caught up with the pair.

Emma was ignored. "You need to tell her right now." Snow said in a strict motherly tone. Emma only heard her use that voice when she was being yelled at by her, which was rare. Snow usually didn't over-step her boundaries.

"Snow, I already told you I would tell her afterwards. Now please just drop it!" Mandy said angrily. She didn't want to do this here, not now, especially in front of everyone. She wanted to break the news to Regina in a more private setting and she didn't want everyone to know about her pregnancy.

"Tell who what?" Emma asked, her eyes darting back and forth between the two seeing who would be the one to tell. Neither seemed to be listening to her.

"Tell her, or I will," Snow threatened. She didn't want to be the one to tell Regina about Mandy's pregnancy but she would if it meant protecting her.

"I thought I could trust you, Snow." Mandy hissed.

The rest of the group finally caught up to them. "What is with all the shouting?" Cora asked as she grabbed hold of Rumple's shoulder to regain her balance.

"They're fighting about something…" Emma answered shrugging her shoulders.

"It's not something I want to do Miranda but it's for your own good." Snow said, causing confused looks from the people around her.

"Please don't tell Regina." Mandy begged. "I will as soon as this is over."

"Tell me what?" Regina asked when she heard her name.

Snow spun around when she heard Regina. She was looking from Regina to Mandy. She saw the hurt in Mandy's eyes. She didn't want to betray her trust but she had to protect her. "Are you going to tell her, or should I?"

"Miranda?" Regina questioned arching her eyebrows. Mandy gulped. She wasn't ready to tell Regina, not in the least. The courage she had when she was about to pass through the force field left her and she needed to get it back fast. Regina walked over to her, cupping her daughter's face in her hands. "Are you nervous?" Mandy looked down, not wanting to make eye contact, and began crying. "Honey, what is it?"

"Please don't be mad at me." She begged still looking down at her feet.

Regina lifted her chin to stare directly into her eyes. "You can tell me anything." She whispered wiping away Mandy's tears.

Mandy began shaking because of how nervous she was. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself down. "I'm…I'm…pregnant." She whispered her voice trembling. Regina was shocked as was everyone else. They all held their breath, waiting to see how Regina would react.

"Didn't see that coming." Emma mumbled.

Regina's jaw dropped. She couldn't stop staring at her daughter. "What do you mean you're pregnant?!"  
She asked her voice rising.

Mandy knew she would be mad; she couldn't help but apologize for her mistake. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

Cora came up behind Regina, hands on her hips. "That was really stupid of you, Miranda!" She scolded. "How could you let that happen? You shouldn't have been engaging in such activities in the first place. You're just as stupid as Regina was when she was younger."

Regina knew that was something her mother would say when she was heartless. She knew Cora was still getting used to having her heart but she wasn't going to let that be an excuse, at least not for this matter. She could only deal with one problem at a time and right now Cora wasn't her priority, her daughter was. "Mother, I can handle this." Regina hissed.

"Cora, I think we should talk real quick." Jiminy suggested. Cora was reluctant at first but soon complied, which relieved Regina. She couldn't deal with her mother now.

"I know it was stupid. I'm really nervous about the whole thing. Please, _please_ don't be mad at me. I'm so sorry." She said before she started crying again.

Regina pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her close to her chest. Her head tucked under Regina's chin as she stroked her daughter's head. "I'm not mad, honey…..shocked is more like it."

"I didn't mean to disappoint you." Mandy sobbed into Regina's blazer.

Regina smiled, although Mandy couldn't see. "You didn't." She said reassuring her daughter that she still loved her.

"I'm scared." Mandy whispered not wanting to let go of Regina. She felt safe in her mother's arms.

Regina held her tighter. "I know, sweetie. I'll be here to help you. Don't worry."

"Really?" Mandy asked shocked as she pulled her head back to look at Regina.

Regina smoothed Mandy's hair down and caressed her face, wiping away the remaining tears. "Of course, dear. I'll always be here for you." Mandy hugged her again, this time with a smile on her face. She was surprised at how well Regina was taking the news. She was hoping Cora would come around eventually.

"Sorry to break up this little love fest, but we have kids that are in need of saving." Grumpy said trying to move things along. They didn't exactly have a lot of time to waste.

"The grouch is right." Emma added putting her hands on her hips. She received a glare from Grumpy but it didn't faze her. "What? I mean your name _is _'Grumpy'. It's not like I gave you a mean nickname."

"Get going Miranda." Gold commanded.

Regina turned around angrily. "This changes everything. She is definitely _not_ going in there."

"You might wanna tell her that…"Emma said nodding towards Miranda.

Regina turned around and saw Miranda running down the hill, closer to the force field. "Miranda, stop!" She screamed her voice full of fear and worry.

"I have to save them!" She shouted as she kept running until she passed through the force field and wasn't able to be seen anymore. Everyone stared quietly waiting to see if Mandy would come back out, but she didn't. Ruby finally got back with the parents right behind her.

"We need to start breaking the force field." Gold said breaking the silence.

Regina turned around very angrily, staring directly at Snow. "Why didn't you tell me about Miranda as soon as you found out?" She screamed.

"Did I miss something?" Ruby whispered to David.

"Miranda just told Regina, and the rest of us, that she's pregnant." David informed her.

Ruby's jaw to dropped ."Alright, that was out of the blue and I'm pissed I missed it! How did Regina react? Was she totally freaking out?" She asked her face not hiding her eagerness to find out how the scene unfolded.

"She actually took it pretty well…better than any of us would've expected." David admitted.

"Well that's no fun…" Ruby said pouting.

"She needed someone to confide in. I told her to tell you but she wanted to wait until all of this was over and it wasn't my place to tell you." Snow shot back.

"Oh, now you decide to keep secrets..." Regina hissed her eyes focused on the woman in front of her.

"Regina I…" Snow began only to be interrupted by Regina. "She could get hurt and you didn't say anything." Her eyes full of rage.

"I didn't know she would have to go in there, and neither did you!" Snow shouted. "I wanted her to tell you."

"What's done is done." Gold said trying to end the fight.

"Who the hell are you? Macbeth?" Emma asked knowing the phrase came from that Shakespeare play.

"Actually, Lady Macbeth said those words not Macbeth." Cora added.

"And how the hell do you know that?" Emma asked as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Regina doesn't let me do much so I've been reading a lot." Cora said shrugging her shoulders.

"Look ladies, you can't change anything so let's move on." Neal suggested.

"Why can't you two just get along for a change?" Emma whined.

"Emma, we have a very long history together. More complicated than you'll ever know." Snow said trying to get her daughter to understand that it wouldn't be that easy.

"All the more reason to work it out…" Emma said trying to sound cheerful. She noticed neither one was budging. "Do it for Henry and Miranda if not for yourselves." They stared at her and then at each other.

"I'm willing to try to work it out if you are." Snow offered looking hopeful.

Regina almost gave in. She wanted to make amends with her former step-daughter but it was hard to forget what she had done. "I have no interest in fixing our relationship." Snow's hopeful look quickly disappeared.

"Regina, stop being so difficult." Emma through her hands up in frustration. "Maybe you should start seeing Archie and let go of some of that anger." She yelled.

"No one asked for your opinion, Emma." Regina said glaring.

"No, but I'm giving it anyway." She shot back placing her hands on her hips.

"We don't have time for this. It would take years for those two to sort out their differences." Ruby chimed in.

"The dog has a point." Cora said crossing her arms. Ruby shot her a look but Cora ignored her. "They have a lot of issues."

"We need to break the force field. Now!" Blue said loudly.

"Let's go!" Cora said dragging Emma and Regina with her. They all took their positions around the force field and waited for Gold's instructions.

**I would love to know your thoughts about the chapter or the story in general. Thank you for your reviews so far, they really keep me going and give me knew ideas. Thanks for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24 The Three Witches

**If you couldn't tell by now, they are the witches from Hocus Pocus. I really love that movie and I know many other people do as well, so I figured why not. Enjoy!**

Chapter 24: The Three Witches

When Mandy stepped through the force field, she could feel the change in the atmosphere. It was heavy, like someone was sitting on her chest. There was nowhere to hide; she was hoping the witch was preoccupied and wouldn't see her. She studied the cottage from afar, deciding where her point of entry was going to be. She saw cellar doors on the side of the house. That would be the easiest way in, she thought, without getting caught. She took a moment to think about Peter, their baby, what it will be like raising the baby without him by her side. She did take care of the Lost Boys for a while; it wouldn't be that different, would it? She put her hands on her stomach. She couldn't believe she had another life growing inside her.

She was snapped out of her daydream when she heard what sounded like thunder from behind her. She quickly turned around and saw Gold, Cora, Regina, Emma, and Blue using their magic to break the outer force field. She smiled at their teamwork but remembered she had a job to do before saving the kids. She summoned the energy required to break the force field. It didn't take long for it to disintegrate; it wasn't that strong to begin with. The witch probably thought there were no kids with magic so that force field wouldn't need to be that strong. On the other hand, the outer one would be better constructed because if adults got through, it would be disastrous for the witch. Once she finished breaking the barrier, she snuck down to where the cellar doors were. She unlocked them with her magic and began to descend the stairs. She couldn't believe what she saw.

* * *

"Why isn't this working?" Emma said expecting the force field to break almost instantly.

"The force field is very strong, it will break soon though. Miranda weakened it by breaking the other force field from the other side." Blue said trying to explain to Emma that there is work that still needs to be done.

"How can you tell?" Emma asked.

"We felt the change in the force field, didn't you?" Cora replied.

"No! This isn't Star Wars. The Force is not with me!" Emma exclaimed.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Regina said frustrated.

"Focus ladies." Gold commanded. He didn't feel like listening to them fight again and they really needed to break the force field sooner rather than later.

"I don't think I'm doing anything." Emma said doubting herself.

"You're helping more than you know." Regina said still focused on the force field in front of her.

"I don't feel like I am." Emma replied not really giving it her all. She wished she knew how to use her magic better.

Regina looked over to Emma and saw how unsure of herself and her powers she was. "Emma, you have more power than you realize. Keep your focus and think about Henry." She instructed as Emma nodded. She wasn't expecting the brunette to help her, especially after she told her she needed to go see a therapist.

* * *

Mandy's jaw dropped as she saw a bunch of kids huddled close together in the cellar. There wasn't that much room for them to move around too freely. They all looked scared and shielded their eyes from the light that was coming in. They clearly have been stuck in the dark the entire time they were here.

"Mandy?" She heard a small voice call her name from the back. She squinted her eyes trying to make out who it was.

"Nibs? Is that you?" She asked unsure. A group of kids came rushing towards her, knocking her to the ground.

"I knew you would come for us!" Slightly said excitedly. "We missed you!" exclaimed Binky.

"Don't ever leave us again!" Cubby sobbed hugging her, not wanting to let go.

"I missed you all too but you have to be quiet." She whispered as they all got up except for one who was still hugging her. "Cubby, get off me." She groaned. "Sorry."

As soon as she got up, she was captured in another hug. "Henry!" She exclaimed.

"Where is everyone?" He asked curious as to why she didn't bring back up.

"They are trying to break down the force field. Hopefully, they do it soon." Mandy said looking around at the rest of the kids. "Where's Tiger Lily?"

"The witches took her and a few other kids a little while ago." Slightly informed.

"The kids they took before, never came back." Nibs added nervously.

"Wait, wait, wait! Did you say witches, as in more than 1?" She asked with a concerned and frightened look on her face.

Henry nodded. "There are three of them and they have magic." He warned.

"Great!" Mandy said throwing her hands up in frustration. "How am I going to defeat three witches by myself?"

"You're not by yourself, there are people outside with magic right? Can't they help you?" Binky asked.

"Who knows how long it will take for them to break the barrier. If we wait too long, more lives will be in danger. I can't wait for them." She replied. "How many kids have they taken so far?"

"We lost count." Cubby said sadly.

Tootles tugged on Mandy's shirt. "You're gonna get her back, right?"

Mandy kneeled down to his level. "Of course!" She lied. She didn't know if Tiger Lily would be alive by the time she got to them. She didn't want to upset anyone either.

"So you have a plan?" Henry smirked. She was more like him than he realized.

Mandy looked behind her, still kneeling. "Sorta. I don't know exactly what I'm up against."

"Well what do you have so far?" Slightly asked.

She proceeded to tell them her plan. She gathered all the children closer so they would be prepared when they set the plan in motion. Mandy picked four kids who could lead groups to the parents who were anxiously waiting. Henry, Slightly, Nibs and Ava were chosen.

"You 4 will have 15 to 20 kids in each group." Mandy said to the leaders before speaking to the rest of the group. "There's nowhere to hide so you have to run quickly and be light on your feet. Your parents will be waiting. I will be distracting the witches and try to rescue the kids they have now."

"Do you want us to come back when we finish leading out group to help you?" Ava asked.

"No, I don't want anyone getting hurt. Once you're out with your parents, don't come back. Understood?" Mandy said firmly. Every single head nodded as they listened intently to her instructions.

"Good. Anyone know how to get to the next floor?" She asked the group.

Nibs pointed to a door in the ceiling. "They come in from up there and climb down the rope ladder."

Mandy nodded. "Alright. Give me a few minutes to get up there before the group leaves. Everyone get into your groups." They all began to scramble to find a group.

Ava grabbed Mandy's hand. "Mandy, when you get up there can you look for my brother? His name is Nicholas; he also goes by Hansel."

"Paige is up there too! I don't know her real name." Henry added.

"I will try my best to rescue all the kids up there." She said before heading towards the rope ladder. She didn't want to say she would definitely bring them back. She was basically going in there blind. She had no idea what to expect when she got up there.

She began to climb the ladder but someone grabbed her ankle. "What are you doing?" She asked annoyed.

"I don't think you should go up there alone. Let me accompany you." He replied still holding on to her ankle.

"Do you have magic?" She asked looking down at him. "No." He replied.

"Then you are no help to me. Let me go." She said firmly.

He wasn't afraid of her; intrigued was more like it. He wasn't letting go. "I can watch your back."

"Look dude, I don't know who you are but I got this. So you go be all macho somewhere else." She said shooing him away.

"The name's Jacob, but you can call me Jake." He said smiling.

"I didn't ask…now would you please let me go? I have things to do." She whispered impatiently.

He finally let her go. "I'll let you go…for now."

She rolled her eyes and climbed a little more. She unlocked the door with magic and quietly ascended to the next level, checking her surroundings before she made a move. She peaked around every corner but didn't see anyone. She faintly heard a whimper coming from a tiny closet tucked in a corner of the cottage. She slowly opened it and saw 7 kids tied up and gagged, one of them was Tiger Lily. Once she untied them, she began quietly asking them questions.

"Are there any other kids around?" She asked.

"Only three. A boy and two girls. They took them a little while ago." Tiger Lily replied in a whisper.

"Where did she take them?" Mandy asked.

"We don't know." A boy next to Tiger Lily replied.

"Alright. You guys go down where all the other kids are. The first group should have left but there are 3 other groups you can go with." She informed. The nodded and all began moving quietly towards the cellar door.

* * *

"The force field is weakening quite a bit. The witch's cottage is coming into view." Blue exclaimed.

"Are those children?" Cora asked squinting her eyes.

"Yes! They're coming from the cellar." Emma said excitedly. The first group of kids, led by Nibs, made it out safely and reunited with their parents.

"Nibs, where's Henry? Is he okay?" Emma asked when Nibs passed between her and Regina.

"He is leading one of the groups. He should be out soon." He replied making Emma smile.

"What about Miranda?" Regina asked concerned for her other child.

"She's rescuing the kids the witches took." Nibs said. Regina looked more worried than before. "She's really brave." He added. Regina looked away.

"She is." Emma confirmed. "Thanks for the update Nibs. We appreciate it."

Once he was out of earshot, Emma checked up on Regina. "Regina, are you okay?"

Regina shook her head. "He said witches…plural…more than one."

Emma looked concerned. "How many do you think there are?"

"I don't know but Miranda can't handle all of them at once, especially if they each have magic. We need to get in there!" Regina was more desperate now than ever to break this force field. She needed to get to her daughter.

* * *

Mandy finally found the witches and watched what they were doing from her hiding spot. She saw the three kids tied up in chairs. One of the witches, a tall, heavy woman with her raven black hair tied up in a weird hairdo on top of her head, was stirring the potion that was in the big cauldron in the middle of the room. Another witch, a thin woman with long straggly blonde hair, was watching the children. She saw another witch standing over the cauldron. She looked like the head witch; this one had red hair and was giving instructions to the other two.

"Is the potion almost done?" The blonde witch whined.

"Oh shut up, Sarah. It's not like you're doing anything to help." Mary, the heavy set one shot back.

"Will you two stop fighting? You're giving me a headache." The red headed one said.

"Please don't hurt us." Paige begged.

"If you let us go, we won't tell anyone about you." Nicholas said trying to reason with them to let them go.

"Quiet children." The leader snapped. "You won't be going anywhere."

"Winnie, the potion is complete." Mary informed her older sister.

"Excellent!" Winnie exclaimed. "Pour three glasses for our lovely guests."

Mary did as she was told and handed each witch a glass of their own. They picked a child they wanted and tried to make them drink it.

"Open wide." Winnie said cheerfully to Paige. She clenched her mouth tighter, as did the other two kids. They grabbed their mouths and yanked them open, making them drink it. Mandy quickly jumped out of her hiding spot and pushed the cauldron over, spilling everything in it.

"You stupid girl!" Winnie snarled. She sent a spell straight for Mandy but it was deflected.

"Winnie, she has magic." Sarah said her mouth wide open.

"I realize that Sarah, thank you." Winnie snapped. "Get her."

The witches began to surround Mandy. She was nervous but she didn't show it.

"How did you get out?" Mary asked.

"I think the better question is how did I get in?" Mandy replied. "You should really consider protecting your little cottage better."

The witches were circling her now. "How did you acquire such power?" Winnie asked.

"Don't worry about it. Just let the kids go." Mandy snapped.

"I'm afraid we can't do that." Winnie said motioning to the kids in the chairs. They were slumped over and were glowing.

Mandy quickly threw spells at Sarah and Mary. They were easily knocked out but Winnie was a different story. She was too quick for Mandy and she was quickly engulfed in Winnie's magic. The magical binds were tightly wrapped around Mandy, making her powerless; she couldn't move.

"Not so powerful now, are we?" Winnie said mockingly. "Maybe if you were a polite little girl, it wouldn't have to end this way." Winnie was suddenly struck in the head by something and fell to the floor. Behind her stood Jacob with a pot in his hand. The magical binds holding Mandy were released and she was free to move around.

"I thought you might need some back up." Jacob said smiling.

"I didn't ask for your help. I was doing fine on my own." "Mandy hissed.

"Didn't look like it…" He replied.

"Yea, well…whatever! We need to get these kids out of here!" She said running over to the kids still slumped over in the chairs. He just stood there smiling at her.

"Why the hell are you smiling like that?" She asked untying Paige.

"You said we…"

"Don't get all sentimental on me; besides, you don't even know me. And you're here now so if you want to help so badly, get your ass over here and help!" She shot back. He ran over and started untying the other girl.

"Hey, hey wake up." Mandy said lightly tapping Paige's face. She wasn't moving.

"Looks like we're going to have to carry them out." Jacob said observing the three kids.

"Thank you, Captain obvious." Mandy said rolling her eyes.

"I've got these two, can you carry that girl?" He asked picking the other girl and boy up and putting them over his shoulders.

"Yea, I got her. Head to the cellar. I'm hoping we can catch the last group." Mandy said.

They walked as quickly as they could with kids in their hands. She opened the hatch and yelled down, "Is anyone down there?"

Henry quickly appeared at the bottom. "Mandy, what's wrong?"

"We have three kids but they are unconscious. I need you to carry Paige; Jake will carry the other two."

Henry nodded. "Okay, lower her down." She gently lowered Paige down followed by the two other kids so Jake could climb down the ladder.

"You guys need to leave right now." Mandy instructed.

"What else do you have to do?" Henry asked.

"I have to find the kids whose lives they took. They deserve a proper funeral." She said back.

Jake's head was sticking out of the cellar, waiting for Mandy. "I'm not going without you. I'll stay to help.

"No you won't. I need you to carry those kids out." Mandy replied.

"Someone else can carry them, I want to help you." He said trying to climb out.

Mandy pushed his head back down causing him to fall. "Sorry, but I'm not risking your life! Henry, tell my mother I love her!"

"Mandy!" Henry and Jake shouted in unison but she closed the hatch and sealed it with magic so they couldn't follow her. Their only way out was through the opened cellar door that led to their parents.

When she got back to the room where she left the witches, they were gone. She looked around cautiously. She could feel their presence in the room but she couldn't see them. "I know you're in here." She shouted to the empty room.

The three witches appeared on the opposite side of the room. "Well, well, well….look who came back." Winnie said her hand on her chin.

They began circling the spilled cauldron, avoiding the potion that was all over the floor. "You're the girl that resisted my song." Sarah said realizing who this girl was.

"Guilty." Mandy said smiling.

"You didn't tell me a child resisted your song." Winnie snapped.

"I didn't want to disappoint you." Sarah said cowering in fear from Winnie.

"If you told me, I could've disposed of this little brat before any of this could've happened." Winnie yelled.

"Sorry Winnie."

"You're not going to win." Mary said crossing her arms.

Mandy smiled. "You don't have any kids left…so I don't see how you'll win."

"You let them go?" Winnie asked in a deep voice.

Mandy nodded. "I also removed the force field so they are safe." The witch frowned. "Now where are the kids whose lives you took?"

"And why would we tell you that?" Winnie asked.

"Look, I've got like an army of angry parents just on the other side of the force field that should be broken any minute now. So you can tell me now, or you can face them and be tortured like crazy…The choice is yours."

The witches conversed quietly amongst themselves.

"Oh and some of those parents have magic; one just happens to be the Dark One. So I would choose wisely if I were you. Either way, you're screwed." Mandy added crossing her arms, waiting for their answer.

"They're in that room behind you." Winnie said pointing to the door behind Mandy.

Mandy used her powers to, not unlock the door like the witches thought she was doing, but to protect the room and the bodies within just in case something went wrong. The witches thought Mandy was distracted but she was fully aware of what they were up to. She quickly turned around to block a spell Winnie threw at her.

* * *

From outside, the huge group could see the light show going on in the cottage.

"We need to get in there!" Cora yelled over the roar of all the magic that was is the air.

"It's almost complete." Gold shouted.

"Everyone, give it your all." Blue instructed.

They all concentrated and put everything they had into their magic, resulting in the force field being broken. Once it was broken, all 5 ran towards the cottage to assist Mandy with the witches but were thrown backwards when the cottage blew up.

**I had fun writing this chapter so I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think.**


	25. Chapter 25 Forever Connected

Chapter 25: Forever Connected

When the cottage blew up, everyone watching shielded their faces. The only thing standing was a single room of the cottage. The people in the crowd recovered quicker than the 5 on the ground. A few people ran over to see if they were okay. Once Snow knew her daughter was fine, she ran over to Regina.

Snow extended her hand to help her up. "Regina, are you okay?"

Regina accepted Snow's hand but ignored her question. "Miranda's still in there!" She said looking at the leveled building.

David jumped in front of her before she could go anywhere. "Regina, stay here." He instructed.

Regina tried to fight off David's grip. "No. I need to get to my daughter."

Neal came over to assist David in restraining Regina. Once Neal had her, David, Emma and Ruby went down to see if anyone was still alive. Ruby unlocked the door to the room that was still standing and found the dead bodies of the children the witches killed. She told David and Emma but there was nothing they could do for them now. They resumed searching for Mandy under all the rubble.

"I think this is one of the witches." David said when he moved a piece of debris.

"I found two more over here." Ruby yelled.

"Over here! Mandy's over here!" Emma shouted as she quickly began pulling heavy debris off of her. David and Ruby helped her once they got over there.

"Mandy are you okay?" Emma asked.

"Emma?" Mandy said weakly opening her eyes partially.

"She doesn't look too good. She's bleeding a lot." Ruby observed. "We need to get her to the hospital."

"Mandy, stay with me." Emma said pleading with the injured girl. David gently picked her up. Emma talked to her as they quickly walked back.

Regina saw how badly Mandy was bleeding and began freaking out. "Miranda! Miranda!" She screamed as she broke free of Neal's grasp and ran to meet David. David put her in Regina's arms as she knelt down with Mandy's head resting on her lap. Everyone was circled around them, watching the scene unfold.

"She's not going to make it." David mumbled to Snow, Emma and Cora.

Regina stroked her daughter's hair. "Miranda, honey, stay with me." She sobbed and whispered, "Please stay with me."

"This is too heartbreaking." Snow muttered as tears began to fill her eyes.

Mandy squeezed Regina's hand and whispered, "I love you mom."

Regina squeezed back. "I love you too, honey. Stay with me. I can't lose you, not again." She said sobbing over her daughter. Mandy's grip loosened as she took her last breath.

"No. No. Please, no!" Regina yelled shaking her. Henry hugged Emma tightly as he cried. Tears began running down everyone's faces.

"Wait. Emma and Mandy have some sort of special connection right?" Snow asked Cora who was standing next to her.

Cora's eyes grew wide. "Yes, of course! Emma can save her!" She shouted.

"I can?" Emma asked.

"You can." Gold confirmed.

"But I'm not good with magic. I could barely break down the force field." Emma argued.

"You have to try. You're her only hope!" Henry said looking up at Emma.

"Please, Emma. I can't lose her." Regina begged, tears still in her eyes.

How could Emma say no. "Alright, I'll try. What do I have to do?"

"Grab her hands." Gold instructed. Emma knelt down on the other side of Mandy and grabbed her hands. "Close your eyes and concentrate on healing her."

Emma did as she was told. "It's not working."

"Try harder, Emma." Snow commanded.

"I am. It's not that easy." Emma said glaring back at Snow.

Regina put her hands on top of Emma's, bringing her attention back to Mandy. "Please, Emma. Concentrate." She begged.

Emma saw the desperation in her eyes. "Okay." She whispered.

There was a noise coming from the leveled building that distracted Emma and the rest of the group. Gasps escaped from the group when they saw the witches get up. Regina, without hesitation, gently placed Mandy's head on Emma's lap and quickly pushed through the crowd of people. She was pissed off and everyone knew not to mess with Regina, especially when she was mad. She was about to go all Evil Queen on their asses and those witches wouldn't know what hit them.

"Winnie, looks like we have company." Mary whispered to her sister when she saw Regina heading down the hill toward them.

Winnie threw a spell at her but Regina easily deflected it without losing any speed as she kept walking. She threw a fire ball in return. Regina wasn't playing around; she wanted those bitches dead.

"Feisty, aren't we?" Winnie asked as she ducked out of the way from the flaming fireball headed straight for her face.

"You killed my daughter!" She screamed.

"We killed a lot of children, dear. You'll have to be more specific." Winnie replied in a rather cheerful tone.

"The little girl with magic." Regina said sharply.

Winnie smiled at the fact that that girl was dead. "The little brat had it coming. One less snotty, disobedient kid in the world. I did you a favor…you're welcome."

"You bitch." Regina screamed. She was throwing spells at the witches left and right. They couldn't deflect them all and were soon lying on the ground, motionless. Regina knew they were dead; her spells were very powerful because of how much emotion she put into them. She wasn't going to let them kill her daughter and get away with it. She didn't care if she let the Evil Queen in her come out and play. She threw one last fireball at the witches and they quickly caught fire. She turned and marched back to Emma and her daughter while the witches burned in the background, ignoring the stares she received from the group.

She lifted Mandy back onto her lap. "Please continue, Emma." She whispered returning to the mournful mother she once was before the witches rose from the rubble as if nothing happened.

Emma was still trying to comprehend what just happened but quickly refocused herself and began thinking about Mandy and everything she has done. She did save Henry more than once, introduced him to new friends and she was there for Henry when he needed someone to talk to. She really wanted to save her, it was the least she could do. As the Savior, she felt useless, like she was given that title without really earning it.

A bright light began emanating from Emma's hands and flowed into Mandy's entire body. Jaws dropped as they watched Emma. As soon as the light dissipated, they could see the color come back into Mandy's face.

Emma opened her eyes and looked down. "Did it work?"

Gold looked her over. "She's alive but barely. You need to get her to the hospital." Before anyone could say anything, Cora, Regina and Mandy disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. Gold neglected to tell Emma that saving Miranda's life connected them together even closer than before.

"I wanna go to the hospital to see Mandy." Henry said.

"We will kid." Emma said patting his back.

"Can we come too?" Emma turned around and saw a bunch of kids staring at her.

Emma didn't know what to say. "Umm…"

"Give her some time to rest and recover." Snow said.

"But we want to thank her. She saved us." A boy said.

"When she is feeling up to visitors, we will let you all know." David said. Emma could see how her parents were King and Queen. They knew how to handle their people and be leaders. She knew she would never be able to follow in their footsteps.

Everyone began to disperse, except for a few parents. "Do you know where our children are?" One parent asked.

"They didn't come out." Another parent added.

David had the hard job of telling them their children didn't make it. They began to cry as the news that their children were dead set in. Snow and David offered their condolences and their help if they needed anything. The group of parents nodded and slowly headed down to collect their children.

* * *

Cora and Regina spent the last two nights in Mandy's hospital room waiting for her to wake up. Many kids and their parents came to visit, wanting to thank Mandy and to offer their well wishes for the young girl to get better. Regina was really tired; she hadn't slept since the night of the hypnosis. She put her head in her hands and rested her eyes.

Emma knocked on the side of the glass door. "Hey, is it okay if we come in?"

Regina's head shot up. "Are you here to arrest me for killing those bitches?" She asked once she saw who was at the door.

Henry peaked his head in. "Witches…those witches." Regina said correcting herself when she saw Henry. She tried not to swear around him.

Emma shook her head. "I think I speak for everyone when I say, I'm happy their dead. Although, setting them on fire was a bit of an overkill, don't ya think?"

"They deserved it." Regina shot back crossing her arms.

Henry slipped past Emma and ran straight over to Regina; he wanted to stop them from fighting. He gave her a hug that she desperately needed. Her body relaxed when his arms wrapped around her waist; she really missed him. "Has Dr. Whale said anything yet?" He asked.

"Same as yesterday…" Cora said sighing. "I swear that man knows nothing."

"Maybe she'll wake up today!" He said hopefully. There was a long pause before anyone said anything.

"Emma, can I talk to you?" Regina asked.

Emma was surprised but she agreed to talk to her. She followed Regina out into the hall. "So…what's up?" She asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Look, Emma…I know I haven't made your life easy..."

"You can say that again." Emma mumbled interrupting Regina.

"But…" She gritted her teeth. "I wanted to…to thank you for saving Miranda's life."

Emma smiled. She knew how hard it was for Regina to say that to her. She liked this side of Regina and was hoping she would stay like this. "I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Regina smiled back. "I'm glad to hear that."

Emma didn't know what else to say. These conversations with Regina were usually awkward if they didn't have much to say or they were screaming at one another. "Well, I'm going to get a coffee. Do you want me to get you one?"

"No. You'd probably screw it up. I'll get my own." She said walking down the stairs.

"And she's back…" Emma muttered rolling her eye as she followed Regina.

* * *

Henry was standing by Mandy's bedside, while Cora was reading a magazine. "Who, in their right mind, would name their baby 'North'? That's a direction not a name." She said in disbelief staring at a picture of Kim Kardashian's new baby girl. "This family makes this town look sane."

Henry wasn't listening to Cora. He was too busy thinking about Mandy. "Is she _ever_ going to wake up?"

Cora put the magazine down and walked up behind him. She placed her hand on his shoulders. "Eventually." She said sighing.

"What do you mean?" He asked looking up at her.

"If Emma knew exactly what she was doing, she would've woken up instantly. I'm not saying she didn't save her; it's just going to take longer than anticipated." She said.

Henry sighed looking back down at Mandy. Cora patted his shoulder. "I'm going to run to the bathroom. Stay here and keep her company." She instructed.

He lifted himself onto the bed. He tapped her hand and whispered, "Hey, wake up." No response. He didn't think it would actually work but he thought he'd give it a shot.

"Just wake up!" He said frustrated. "I miss my friend." He stared out the door, his back towards Mandy. He hated seeing her like this; all the scratches and bruises all over her body. He suddenly fell off the bed, almost as if he were pushed. He looked up from the floor with a confused look on his face. "What the…"

"You were taking up too much room on the bed…I had to kick you off." Mandy said giggling.

"Mandy! You're awake!" He exclaimed getting to his feet.

"You're very observant Henry…" She said sitting up.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Like I've been hit by truck…my body just doesn't want to move." She responded trying to stretch but it hurt too much.

"I have to tell everyone you're awake." He started to run out the door but Mandy stopped him.

"No. Henry! Wait. Come back." He walked back over to her.

"Why?" He asked.

She began asking him a ton of questions. "What happened? How long have I been sleeping? Did the kids make it out safely? Is Cora still mad at me? Is the..."

Henry interrupted. "Whoa! We're not playing 20 questions. And why would Cora be mad at you?"

"You don't know?" She asked.

"Know what?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows.

Mandy didn't know why but she was really embarrassed to tell Henry about her pregnancy. Her face got all red just thinking about it. "Henry, I'm pregnant."

"Whoa!" He took a minute to take in the news. "Is Peter the father?"

She hit his arm. "Of course he's the father! I don't sleep around, Henry!"

"I didn't mean to imply anything. " He said putting his hands up in defense.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Just answer my questions."

* * *

Regina and Emma were sitting at a table sipping their coffee and trying to fill the awkward silence. "So…how's Henry been doing? I feel like I haven't seen him with everything going on." Regina said sipping her coffee.

"Actually Regina, I've been meaning to change that." Emma said playing with her coffee lid.

Regina arched her eyebrows. "Is that so?"

"Yes, you've really proven you're trying to change…although, setting the witches on fire did give me pause."

"Are you ever gonna drop that?" Regina asked annoyed.

She waved the question off. Emma knew it annoyed her and she liked to get on Regina's nerves. It made her laugh to see how easily it was to get under Regina's skin. "I can tell he misses you." She said seriously.

"I miss him too." She said before taking another sip of her coffee. She diverted her eyes, not wanting to look at Emma.

"What's wrong?" She asked noticing the brunettes change in behavior.

"It's nothing." She replied waving off Emma's concern.

"Regina, I can tell when something's wrong." Regina looked back up at Emma. "You hide it well, but I've known you long enough."

"I…I don't know how to tell Miranda." Regina finally said.

"Tell her what?" Emma asked before realizing what Regina was talking about. Her eyes grew wide. "Tell me she didn't lose the baby."

Regina nodded. "I know she was scared but I'm sure she wanted to keep it."

Emma sighed. "Regina, I'm so sorry. When did you find out?"

Regina twirled her almost empty cup. "The day we brought her here. They already did the procedure to remove the baby." Emma looked at her with sadness in her eyes when Regina started to cry. "She looked so small and helpless when they took her back for the procedure. I wanted to do something…anything." Regina said letting a single tear escape.

Emma reached her hand over to squeeze Regina's. "The only thing you can do is to be there for her. She's going to need you now more than ever."

Regina nodded. Emma was about to say something else but she noticed Regina's puzzled look. "What are you staring at?" She asked following Regina's gaze.

"My mother." She said angrily. She stood up and quickly stormed over to the older woman, with Emma quickly following her.

"Mother, what are you doing down here?" Regina asked her eyes full of rage.

"A woman can't go to the bathroom without being questioned?" Cora shot back.

"You could've at least waited until we got back. You know I want someone in her room at all times." Regina yelled.

"I left the boy up there." Cora said.

"Cora, are you crazy?!" Emma exclaimed.

"Only a little bit dear; Wonderland does that to you." She responded.

Regina didn't want to listen to her anymore. She raced up the stairs followed by Emma.

Cora walked up the stairs slowly. "She's either awake or still sleeping." Cora shouted up to them. "Stop freaking out." She mumbled to herself.

Regina and Emma reached the top of the stairs at the same time. They saw Mandy sitting up with Henry by her side talking to her. Regina smiled with tears in her eyes. "She's awake!"

Cora was out of breath when she reached the top of the stairs. "Why didn't we take the elevator?" She whined. She couldn't see past Emma and Regina so she pushed them out of the way. " Maybe it _was_ a good idea to leave the boy alone with her." She said crossing her arms and smiling at Regina.

"Oh, shut up Mother!" She said before running towards the room.

Emma tried to hide her laughter but Cora caught her. "That's enough out of you, Miss Swan." She said eyeing the woman before walking to her granddaughter's room.

"Miranda!" Regina exclaimed when she ran into her room and stood next to Henry.

"Hi mom." She said as cheerful as she could.

Regina leaned down and grabbed her chin. "Do you know how badly you scared me?"

"Sorry." Mandy replied lowering her eyes. Regina kissed her forehead. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"Henry, why didn't you come get us when she woke up?!" Emma asked angrily.

"I'm afraid that's my fault Emma. I told him to stay. He filled me in on everything that happened since the whole witch debacle." Mandy said in a tiny voice. "I can't believe you set them on fire!" She said to Regina in an approving tone.

"It was quite the show." Cora added smiling wickedly.

Regina let them stay for a little while longer. She thought it would be good for Mandy before she had to tell her about the baby. Mandy seemed to be enjoying their company and she liked having Henry with her.

Emma soon received the look from Regina that meant it was time to go. "Hey kid, I think we should get going. Give Mandy some time to rest."

"But I'm hanging out with Mandy." He whined.

"And I've rested long enough, let him stay." Mandy begged.

"You'll see each other tomorrow." Emma replied.

"But…" The kids said in unison.

Regina interrupted. "Miranda, you need to rest."

"And Henry you have homework to do." Emma added.

"No I don't." He replied.

"Yes. You do." Emma quickly said trying to convince him that they needed to leave now.

"Fine." He said reluctantly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mandy." He said before following Emma out the door.

Regina slowly walked over to Mandy and sat on the bed facing her. "Miranda, I have to tell you something." She said her voice becoming very serious as she took hold of Mandy's hands. Mandy looked scared as she sat up a little more waiting for what Regina had to say.

"Why couldn't we stay longer?" Henry whined when they were a few feet away from Mandy's hospital door.

Emma looked down at her feet trying to find the right words. "Look kid…"

"Just tell me!" Henry interrupted. He was tired of her sugar coating everything for him.

"Mandy's pregnant." She said quickly.

"Yea, I know. She told me." He said shrugging it off.

"Well…she's not pregnant anymore." She said sadly.

Henry looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"She lost the baby, Henry." Emma said sighing. Henry looked through the glass window at Mandy who was just receiving the news herself. He saw her begin to cry and Regina pulling her close. He wanted to run in there and give her a giant hug but Emma wouldn't let him. She needed time alone.

**So I hope you're not too upset. Let me know what you think. I love the reviews, keep em coming!**


	26. Chapter 26 Reflection

**Warning: Attempt suicide-kinda**

Chapter 26: Reflection

Dr. Whale wanted Mandy to stay longer but she insisted on going home. The hospital was too much of a reminder of her loss. He released her the next day with an antibiotic to prevent infection. Mandy couldn't wait to get home, in her own room, her own bed. She was still in pain from her injuries not to mention the miscarriage procedure she had done. Regina and Cora were constantly checking on her, making sure she was alright. She knew they meant well but she just wanted to be alone.

She went to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. She turned the tub faucet on and waited for it to fill up. She couldn't wait to get a bath; she hated smelling like a hospital. Mandy slipped off her clothes and stepped into the tub, the hot water warming her skin but also making her wince in pain. The water burned her cuts as she sunk deeper into the water. She quickly washed her hair and body and lied down in the water. She wanted to be with Peter and their baby. She would be out of pain and she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Without thinking clearly, she lowered her head under water and held herself down.

A vision flashed across her mind. She saw Peter in a white light coming towards her slowly.

"Mandy, what are you doing here?" He questioned when he got close to her.

"I came to be with you…and our baby." She said smiling.

He smiled back. "I had a feeling you would figure out a way to find me."

"You know me well." She replied.

"I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you." He said sincerely.

"How did you know I was in pain?" She asked.

He smiled. "I've been watching you."

"You have?" She asked surprised.

He nodded. "You saved all those kids…I wouldn't expect anything less though."

She shrugged her shoulders. "It was nothing."

He shook his head. "I totally screwed everything up, Mands. I should've believed you back in Neverland. I'm sorry for everything."

She grabbed his hands. "I forgive you, Peter. We can be together now."

"Actually Mands, we can't." He let go of her hands and began caressing her face. "As much as I love having you here with me, you have to go back."

She put her hands on top of his. "Why? There's nothing for me there."

Peter began stroking her hair. "Of course there is! You have your family…and the Lost Boys need you."

Mandy shook her head. "They'll be fine without me."

"You're needed there more than you know." He replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She questioned.

"You'll find out when you go back." He placed a kiss on her cheek and was slowly retreating back into the white light.

"Wait, Peter! Where are you going?" She shouted.

"Someone else wishes to speak with you…and I have to welcome our son to his new home." He said before disappearing completely.

"We had a son." She whispered to herself. She wanted to meet him but she had no idea how to do that. She then remembered that someone else wanted to speak with her; she had no idea who it could be.

Another figure began coming into view. It was hard to make out who it was the light was so bright. As he came closer, she recognized the man in front of her. It was her father, Daniel.

"Daddy?" She asked in a small voice looking up at the man she remembered from his coffin.

"Hi sweetie." He said smiling at her.

She smiled back. "You're taller in person."

He chuckled. "And you look just like your mother." He put his hand on her check. "I have the most beautiful girls in the world." He said softly. "I'm so proud of you."

She wrapped her hands around his waist; it was the first time she ever got to give her father a hug and she couldn't be happier. Daniel felt the same way when he hugged his daughter; if only Regina were here with them then their family would be complete.

Daniel would've spent all day just holding his daughter but she wasn't supposed to be there. "Honey, you have to go back now."

Mandy pulled away. "But why? I get to be with you, Peter and my son."

Daniel shook his head. "I would love to be with you but as Peter said, you're needed there. Regina needs you; she'll be so lost without you. "

Mandy was disappointed. "I love mom but I'm not happy there."

"Things will get better, just give it some time. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me." He pleaded.

"But I just met you. I want to spend more time with you." She argued.

"We'll be together again." He kissed the top of her head. "But you have to go back now and I have to go see my grandson." He slowly began to disappear. "Take care of your mother for me." He added.

Mandy quickly sat up gasping for air when she came out of the water. The vision seemed to last forever but she had only been under for a few minutes. She held her chest and tried to slow down her breathing. She scrunched up her knees and held them tight to her chest. She sat like that for another hour thinking about what she has seen, who she had seen. She didn't know if it was a dream or if she actually talked to them. She couldn't believe what she was trying to do to herself. She realized she would've hurt Regina so bad and she just couldn't do that to her, not after everything Regina has done for her.

* * *

Regina was getting worried. Mandy was in the bathroom for a really long time so she decided to go check on her. She knocked on the door but there was no response. She tried to open the door to peak her head in but it was locked. She suddenly felt a knot in her stomach as panic set in. She quickly unlocked the door with magic and rushed in. She saw Mandy sitting in the tub, rocking back and forth.

She knelt down at the side of the tub. "Miranda, are you okay?" Mandy didn't answer. Regina put her hand on her shoulder to get her attention. Mandy was shivering because the water was so cold. Regina began draining the tub and helped Mandy stand up. She wrapped a towel around her and led her back to her room. Mandy didn't say anything when Regina dried her off and put her pajamas on. She tried asking Mandy questions when she finally got her into bed but she wasn't answering. Regina finally gave up; she knew she wasn't getting anything out of her daughter tonight. She stood up and turned to walk out the door when Mandy grabbed her hand.

"Will you stay with me tonight, mommy?" Mandy asked in a small voice. "I don't want to be alone." She knew she sounded like a little kid but she didn't care. She wanted her mom with her.

Regina didn't have to think twice before answering. "Of course I will, sweetie." She said smiling. She crawled into bed next to her daughter and held her close to her chest.

Mandy snuggled closer to her mother, allowing Regina to rest her head on top of her own. She decided not to tell Regina about her vision of Peter and Daniel. She would have to tell her about her attempted suicide and she didn't want to hurt her mother; it was best left unsaid.

Mandy looked up at her mother. "I'm so lucky to have you, mom." She truly meant it.

Regina shook her head. "No, I'm the lucky one."

"I love you so much." She said hugging Regina tighter.

Regina leaned down and rested her forehead against Mandy's. "I love you too, honey." She kissed the top of her head. They fell asleep in each other's arms and stayed like that for the rest of the night.

* * *

Cora was nowhere to be found when Regina and Mandy came down the next morning. Regina wasn't too worried of Cora's whereabouts. Her mother could take care of herself; it was other people she was worried about.

"What do you want to eat, dear?" Regina asked walking into the kitchen with Mandy following her and taking a seat at the island.

"Apple pie." She said smiling.

"That's not appropriate for a breakfast meal." Regina replied.

Mandy folded her hands and begged. "Please! I love your apple pie!" She gave Regina the puppy dog look.

Regina sighed. "Fine, but just this once." She said before smiling. She began getting the ingredients out to make it.

Mandy knew she had to eat this time. She didn't want Regina worrying about her so she was going to force herself to eat, even if it wasn't much at first. Her appetite would come back eventually. She hated feeling like shit all the time; she just wanted to be happy. Dr. Whale offered to write a prescription for Mandy to take anti-depressants but Regina refused it. She didn't want her on them. He wrote one anyway, just in case Regina changed her mind. All she had to do was sign her name and take it to the pharmacy. While Regina was making breakfast, she snuck into her purse and removed the slip of paper. She quickly folded it up and tucked it into her bra.

* * *

After breakfast, Mandy got dressed and told Regina she was going to take a walk. She declined Regina's offer to accompany her and told her she wanted to be alone. She practiced Regina's signature a few times before forging it on the slip. She walked into the pharmacy and handed it to Sneezy. He looked at it suspiciously but went back and filled it anyway. Once she received the prescription, she headed to the docks. She sat on a bench, watching the boats in the harbor and thinking about what Daniel had said to her in her dream.

"Mind if I sit down?" A voice from behind asked startling Mandy in the process.

Mandy turned around and saw Regina standing there. "What are you doing here?" She asked surprised.

Regina sat down next to her. "I received a call from the pharmacist saying that you filled a prescription that had my signature on it."

Mandy sighed and lowered her head. "Sorry."

"Why did you do it?" Regina asked concerned.

She threw her hands up in frustration. "I thought it would help…I don't know, everything's just so confusing."

Regina wrapped her arm around her. "I know, sweetie. It's going to take some time but you'll get through it. Trust me."

Mandy realized that sounded similar to what Daniel had said in her dream. Mandy leaned her head on Regina. "I do trust you." She knew her parents were smart people and wanted the best for her. She pulled the prescription bottle and handed it to Regina. "Here. I don't want them anymore."

Regina took the bottle from her and walked to the edge of the dock. She dumped the pills into the water and put the empty bottle in her pocket to dispose of it later. "Let's go home. You have someone waiting for you." She said smiling.

"I do?" Mandy asked with a confused look on her face as she stood up.

Regina nodded. "Mhmm. And he's cute!"

* * *

Mandy walked through the door first, heading straight for the mirror to check her hair.

Regina walked up behind her and stared at their reflection in the mirror. "You look fine, dear." She said placing her hands on Mandy's shoulders.

Mandy wasn't too sure. "Ya think so?" She asked staring back at her in the mirror.

Regina leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I know so." Mandy smiled. "Now go." Regina said pushing Mandy towards the living room.

Mandy took a deep breath and walked into the living room. Her calm composure disappeared when she saw who it was. "What are you doing here, Jake?" She asked placing her hands on her hips.

Jake stood up and smiled. "I came to check on you."

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Why didn't you let me accompany you back there?" He asked walking closer to her. "None of that would've happened."

"You don't know that. You probably would've been killed…I couldn't let that happen." She argued looking up at him.

He sighed. "I'm just glad you're alright."

Mandy was confused. "Thanks but I talked to you for like a minute. You barely know me."

He leaned in closer so their faces were inches apart. "I'd like to change that."

She didn't flinch. "I don't."

Jake took a step back. "Oh…okay."

"I didn't mean it that way, it's just…I have a lot going on right now." She said trying to explain herself without telling him her life story.

"I understand." He said sadly as he brushed passed her on his way to the door.

"Jake, wait!" She said loudly. He turned around to face her. "It's not you; it's me…okay that sounded horrible. Let me start over."

Jake shook his head. "You don't have to, I get it."

Mandy grabbed his hand so he wouldn't go anywhere. "No, I want to. Please?"

"Alright." He nodded.

Mandy took a deep breath. "I've been through a lot recently and I have a lot of baggage. Trouble seems to follow me where ever I go. I've had my heart broken more times in the last 2 months than I've had my entire life. I can't go through that again."

"I don't mind trouble." He said smiling.

"Jake…" She said sighing.

He laughed. "No, I totally get it. You're not looking for a relationship right now."

Mandy nodded. "Right…but I would like to be friends. I could really use one."

"Then you've got a friend in me." He winked.

Mandy giggled. "Cool. Here…" She said handing him her phone. "Put your number in."

He took his phone out and handed it to her so she could do the same. He handed it back when he was finished. "So I'll text you later then?"

Mandy smiled and nodded. "Mhmm."

"Great…so ugh…bye." He said awkwardly as he waved goodbye.

She waved back. "Bye."

Cora walked through the door when Jake was on his way out.

"And who are you?" Cora asked when she saw this mysteriously person in her house.

"Hi ma'am, my name is Jake. You must be Mandy's grandmother." Cora nodded. "You have a lovely granddaughter."

"Yes, I'm well aware…and don't call me ma'am; it makes me sound old." She said putting her hands on her hips. "Call me Cora."

Jake nodded. "Well, it was nice meeting you Cora." He said before walking out the door without waiting for a response. Cora could tell the boy was in love; she's seen that look before.

She walked into the living room to find Mandy sitting on the couch watching TV. "Who was that boy?" She asked.

"Just some kid who likes me. "She replied without taking her eyes off the screen.

Regina walked into the living room, standing next to Cora. "I heard the front door close. How did it go?" She asked eagerly.

She waved her off. "We're friends, nothing more." She said still not making eye contact.

Cora shot her hand at the TV and it quickly shut off.

"Hey!" Mandy exclaimed. "I was watching that!"

"We are trying to have a conversation with you." Cora replied.

"I answered your questions." She shot back.

"That boy seemed too happy to just be friends." Cora said sharply.

"Nothing happened!" She said defensively as she rose from the sofa. "I told him I wasn't ready for a relationship and we decided to be friends. We exchanged numbers and that was the end of it."

"Don't lie, Miranda. It's not becoming." Cora warned.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "I'm not lying."

"Oh mother, stop prying." Regina sighed.

"You believe her?" Cora asked.

"I do…and where have you been exactly?" Regina asked putting her hands on her hips.

Cora turned the TV back on. "Don't worry about it." She said before walking out of the living room.

Mandy and Regina exchanged glances before following Cora into the kitchen. "Mother, where were you today?"

"Regina, I don't have to tell you everything…in fact, I don't have to tell you anything."

"Oh just tell me!" Regina practically begged.

"I had an appointment with Archie, if you must know." Cora finally said.

"Is that working for you?...Like is it helping?" Mandy asked curiously.

Cora took a minute to ponder the question. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Mandy looked at Regina. "Do you think I could go? Maybe it will help me."

Regina put her hand on Mandy's cheek. "Of course, sweetie. "I'll call him right after dinner."

"Thanks." She said softly.

Regina tapped her on the shoulder. "Why don't you go watch TV and I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Mandy nodded and ran out of the room. Regina made sure she was gone before she continued talking. "That appointment didn't last you all day, mother. Where were you?"

"I'm seeing someone." Cora whispered.

"You are?! Who?" Regina asked surprised.

"I'm not ready to tell you." She replied.

"Why not?"

"Look, I swore not to meddle in yours and Miranda's love lives so you two stay out of mine." Cora said before walking out of the kitchen. Regina was too shocked to say anything else.

"She's unbelievable!" Regina exclaimed before she started dinner.

**Let me know what you think so far. I appreciate the reviews!**


	27. Chapter 27 Stalkin Cora Leads to Trouble

Chapter 27: Stalking Cora Leads to Trouble

Regina told Mandy about Cora's mystery suitor to see if she knew anything about him. Mandy had no idea but was now determined to find out. The next time Cora left the house, Mandy called Henry on the walkie talkie so they could meet and follow her. They kept their distance, not wanting to get caught. They were hiding across the street when they saw Cora walk into the florist's shop.

"What she go in there for, to get flowers for her new boyfriend?" Henry asked.

"Or the florist _is_ her boyfriend!" Mandy said in realization.

"Maurice…Belle's father…is Cora's boyfriend?" Henry questioned with a bewildered look on his face.

Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?"

"She's too old for him." He replied shaking his head.

"So? He's old too." She shot back.

"I guess it could be him." He said.

They spent the next five minutes peering over the bush but soon grew tired. They slumped down and began playing rock, paper, scissors to pass the time.

"How long is she going to be in there?" Henry whined as he threw out his hand to show the sign for scissors. Mandy made a fist, crushing his pair of scissors. "I don't know, Henry." She said a little annoyed.

A bell was faintly heard from across the street. They both looked up to find Cora coming out of the shop with Maurice right behind her. They talked for a few seconds before she turned to walk up the street. They slowly began following her, crouching behind cars, buildings, anything they could find. They saw Cora walk into the hospital and soon became very confused.

"Why the hell is she going in there?" Mandy questioned not expecting an answer.

"Maybe you forgot something when you were staying here?" He offered.

Mandy shook her head. "I don't think I did. But wouldn't someone have called and told me?"

"Maybe they did and Cora answered." He replied.

"Well now I'm really curious! Let's go!" She exclaimed pulling him along. They walked into the hospital cautiously, just in case Cora was close by. They saw her heading up the stairs.

"There she goes!" Henry whispered when he spotted Cora.

When they got to the top of the stairs, they saw Cora talking to Dr. Whale. They quickly jumped behind a few wheelchairs that were close by when both Cora and Dr. Whale looked over in their direction. When the adults didn't see anyone, they resumed their conversation.

"What do you think their talking about?" She whispered as she tried to keep her balance.

"Where to go for their next date?" Henry replied with a smirk on his face.

Mandy looked at him with a disgusted look on her face. "Cora and Whale? No way, that's worse than Maurice!" She said as she scrunched her nose, like she had just bit into a lemon.

"I hope it isn't him either." Henry admitted. Cora and Whale began walking towards the stairs. "So I'll see you at 5 then?" Cora asked.

Whale nodded. "Yes, you will." He said passing them as they headed down the steps.

When they were gone, Henry and Mandy came out of hiding. "Sounds like they have a date tonight." Henry said.

"Makes me sick just thinking about it." Mandy replied holding her stomach.

Henry put his hand over his mouth. "I'm right there with ya."

"We should get outta here so we don't lose track of her." Mandy suggested. They turned to go back down the stairs but Whale was coming up. They tried to hide but it was too late; Whale had spotted them.

"Henry, Miranda…what are you doing here?" He questioned in a surprised tone.

They both looked at each other for the answer. "I…ugh…wanted to…thank you…for…taking such great care of me while I was here." Mandy said trying to find a viable excuse for their being there.

Whale smiled. "Well that's my job, it's what I do. I'm just glad you're feeling better." He said patting her shoulder. "And Henry came to keep you company?"

Henry nodded. "She didn't want to come alone." He lied.

Whale nodded. "I see, well I appreciate your coming all the way down here. I would love to stay and chat but I have patients to attend to. If you'll excuse me."

"Oh of course. We wouldn't want to keep you from those sick patients." Mandy said hoping Whale would walk away.

"We need to go anyway. C ya!" Henry grabbed Mandy's hand and began running down the stairs, only to be yelled at by a few nurses along the way.

"That was a close one." Mandy said breathlessly when they finally made it out the door.

"Good thinking on your part." Henry complimented.

"Thanks." She said smiling." Do you see Cora anywhere?"

Henry looked around and spotted her a little bit up the block. "I think that's her." He said pointing.

They saw her go into a house. They slowly snuck up to the side of the house, making sure they weren't seen by anyone.

"Who lives here?" Mandy whispered.

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me."

They peaked through the window and saw Cora sitting next to King George on the couch. Both of their jaws dropped. King George had his hand on Cora's thigh as they sat close to each other and talked.

Henry sat on the ground leaning against the house. "I can't watch anymore."

Mandy soon joined him. "This is getting way to weird, even for Cora." She said shaking her head in disbelief.

"Is she seeing all three of them?' Henry asked.

Mandy was surprised by the questioned. "I haven't thought of that but with Cora…anything's possible."

"So…what now?"

"I don't feel like waiting…and I'm getting hungry." Mandy said as she got to her feet but remained in a crouching position.

Henry followed suit. "Me too. Let's go to your house. I wanna see Regina."

Mandy smiled. She knew Regina would be happy to see him. "Of course!"

* * *

They were on their way to Regina's house and were talking. They weren't paying attention to their surroundings. Someone threw bags over their heads, tied their hands behind their back and grabbed them from behind. They were dragged into the nearby woods, not too far in just off the road. They were pushed to the ground and the bags were taken off their heads to reveal their kidnappers.

"You." Mandy said angrily her eyes becoming full of rage.

"Thought you'd never see us again, did ya?" The familiar voice echoed through Mandy's ears. She never wanted to see these people again. Peter had taken her away from the pain and torment they had caused her many years ago.

"Who are these people?" Henry whispered to Mandy.

"The Randells." She replied without taking her eyes off the two women in front of her. "I used to live with them back in the Enchanted Forest."

"You killed my brother!" Anne screamed.

"And now you will have to pay." Mrs. Rnadell said finishing her daughter's sentence.

"It wasn't me. Someone else killed him." Mandy said truthfully though she didn't break her composure.

"And who would that be?" Mrs. Randell asked not really believing her.

"It doesn't matter now…" Mandy shouted. "He's dead."

"Looks like you'll have to suffer for him then." Mrs. Randell replied before slapping Miranda across the face leaving a handprint on her cheek.

"Stop it!" Henry screamed.

"Quiet boy, or you'll share the same fate." The older woman snapped.

"Leave him outta this! Your quarrel is with me!" Mandy said trying to protect Henry. She wasn't scared of them now; she had her magic.

"Let me at her mom." Anne said. She was confident that she could take on Mandy because she was much smaller than her.

"Be my guest." Her mother replied all too happily.

"Untie her, give her a fair chance." Anne said knowing it wouldn't do Mandy any good.

Her mother yanked Mandy up by her hair. She untied her but stayed behind Mandy just in case she decided to run. The ladies knew she wouldn't leave her friend behind. Mandy flew her hands out in front of her expecting Anne to fly through the air but nothing happened. She thought she did something wrong so she tried to summon a fireball in her hand but that didn't work either. She looked down at her hands. "Shit." She mumbled to herself. She realized she was powerless.

Mrs. Randell pushed her forward closer to Anne. Anne threw a punch heading straight for Mandy's face but she ducked out of the way. Mandy kicked Anne's legs out from under her making her fall to the ground. Mandy then crawled on top of her and began punching her. Mrs. Randell wasn't going to stand by and let this little girl beat up her daughter. She ran over and grabbed Mandy's hair and threw her back. Anne was able to get to her feet and quickly run over to Mandy. She began kicking her in the stomach. Mrs. Randell watched with pleasure as Mandy groaned in pain. All she could do was cover her head and hope this beating would be over soon.

"Stop! You're hurting her!" Stop!" Henry screamed but she kept on beating her.

"Stop what you're doing and put your hands in the air." Emma commanded and she and David pointed their guns at the two women. They quickly obeyed, not wanting to be shot. They were handcuffed and David took them back to the police car. Emma untied Henry so he could help her with Mandy. They sat her up and made sure she was alright.

Emma looked her over, noticing some of her old cuts were reopened and fresh bruises were already forming over the old ones. "I think we should take you to the hospital."

Mandy shook her head. "No way. I'm not spending another day in there. I'm fine; I just want to go home."

Emma didn't want to fight her on the subject. "Can you walk?"

Mandy nodded and Emma and Henry helped her up. She held her stomach in pain as they walked back to Emma's car.

* * *

"What happened?" Emma asked as she was driving to Regina's house.

"They attacked us from behind. I think they wanted to kill Mandy." Henry answered from the back seat.

Emma quickly looked over to Mandy in the front seat. "What did you do to them to make them so angry?"

Mandy didn't answer right away. "They were my foster family back in the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't the first time they've hit me."

Emma sighed. She didn't know much about this girl, she figured she grew up in a better environment considering she was the daughter of a Queen. She didn't know all the circumstances and didn't want to pry so she would ask Henry later.

"Why didn't you tell someone?" Henry asked.

"Who was I going to tell? No one would believe me anyway…and I would have nowhere else to go." Mandy replied a little too harshly.

"I get it Mandy, I was in a similar situation when I was younger." Emma said knowing where Mandy was coming from.

"You were?" Henry asked shocked.

"Henry, let's not get into it now." She said not wanting to tell Henry anything about her time in the foster system. She was hoping he would forget about it.

"Thanks Emma, for saving me from them…and saving me when I basically died." Mandy whispered.

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "No big deal…I'm the Saaavior..remember?"

Mandy smiled but didn't say anything else. The rest of the ride was silent. When they finally arrived outside the Mills Mansion, they helped her out of the car. Mandy just looked up at the house but didn't move.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked. "I thought you could walk."

"I'm scared to go in there." Mandy admitted.

"Why? Because of Regina?" Emma guessed.

Mandy nodded. "She's gonna freak out."

"I don't doubt that." Emma said knowing how Regina would react.

"Why don't we just say I fell down a hill and Henry called you to pick us up." Mandy suggested hoping they would go along with it.

Emma sighed. "We can't lie to her…"

"She's gonna find out the truth eventually…she always does." Henry added. "Might as well go in."

Mandy shook her head no.

"It's now or never…" Henry said in a sing-song voice.

"I pick never…" Mandy replied in the same tone.

"Let's go kid." Emma said lightly pushing her forward.

They walked through the door but couldn't find Regina or Cora.

"I guess they're out." Henry said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well thanks for dropping me off Emma, you better get back to work now." Mandy said hoping they would leave so she wouldn't have to tell Regina the truth.

"Oh no kid. You're not getting rid of me that easily." Emma replied erasing Mandy's smile from her face. "I'm staying until Regina gets home."

* * *

Regina was sitting at a table at Granny's waiting for Cora to join her when Snow walked in.

"Regina, can I talk to you?" She asked shyly. She was always hesitant to talk to her former step-mother.

Regina looked up from the paper she was reading. "What do you want, Snow?" She asked clearly irritated that Snow had the nerve to talk to her.

Snow sat down in the empty chair across from her. "Well I wanted to throw Mandy a party for saving all the kids…and her birthday is coming up, right? She'll be 16?"

Regina nodded. "I don't think she'll want a huge party. I was going to have something small at my place." She said shooting down Snow's proposal.

"But we could give her a grand party. It will be just like the balls we had back home." Snow argued in the hopes she would persuade Regina into agreeing to the party.

Regina rolled her eyes. "If you didn't notice, Snow, I hated going to balls and grand parties. I don't want to relive them so if you could drop the subject, it would be greatly appreciated."

Cora walked up behind Snow. "What are you two talking about?" She asked curiously. She knew Regina wouldn't voluntarily talk to Snow. She wasn't too fond of the girl either but Archie told her to try to get along with everyone.

Snow turned around when she heard a voice. "Oh, hello Cora. I was just trying to convince Regina to throw a ball for Miranda's 16th birthday and because she rescued those kids." She looked back at Regina. "But she's being stubborn."

"She's always been stubborn." Cora said eyeing her daughter before turning back to Snow. "But I think it's a great idea."

"Not surprised…" Regina mumbled.

Snow clapped her hands in excitement. "It will be so much fun and we can start planning it right away."

"Come over tomorrow and we will start planning for the party." Cora said.

Snow stood up. "Sounds good. I'll see you both tomorrow." She said smiling before walking to the counter to talk to Ruby.

Cora sat down in the seat Snow was previously sitting. "Oh, I just love dressing up in ball gowns and going to parties." She exclaimed.

Regina was pissed. "What the hell mother?! First you accepted a proposal from Snow's father without my consent and now you do the same with Snow!"

Cora hit Regina's hand lightly. "Oh, quiet down Regina. They are entirely two different proposals. Besides, this is going to be fun…it'll be Miranda's first ball. Oh, I'll have so much to show her…how to act, how to walk, and we'll have to go dress shopping and…"

Regina interrupted before her mother could babble anymore. "Mother, stop! Don't overwhelm her. We don't even know if she'll want a grand party. And if she doesn't, it's cancelled." She said firmly.

"And if she does, it's going to be huge!" Cora exclaimed not even thinking that there was a chance Miranda would say no.

Regina put her hand on her head. "I hate royal parties." She mumbled as Cora kept going on about the party. She hated Snow even more for putting this idea into her mother's head.

* * *

Henry and Emma were sitting in the living room watching TV when Regina and Cora came through the door.

"Mother, will you please shut up for 5 minutes?! I'm so tired of listening to you talk about this party." Regina said angrily.

"What party?" Emma asked as she and Henry came out of the living room to join them in the hallway.

Regina turned around at the familiar voice and sighed. "What are you doing here, Emma? And where is Miranda?"

"She's upstairs resting." Henry said standing next to Emma.

"Doe she not feel well again?" Regina asked getting concerned.

"Regina, don't freak out but she was attacked earlier by her former foster mother and sister." Emma said hoping Regina would remain calm.

Regina was the opposite of calm. "What?!" She screamed.

"They said something about her killing one of their family members." Henry added.

"Well is she alright?" Cora asked before Regina could freak out anymore.

Emma nodded. "Just some bumps and bruises, nothing major."

"When did this happen?" Regina asked more calmly then before but she was still pissed.

"A few hours ago. The ones responsible are locked up and will be charged." Emma said trying to reassure her.

A fireball soon appeared in Regina's hand. "I have another way to handle them." She said angrily her eyes full of rage.

Henry walked closer to her. "Please don't do anything to them." He begged causing Regina's eyes to soften a bit and the fireball to disappear. "As much as they've hurt Mandy and you want to get back at them, don't do it. They'll get what's comin to them. Karma's a bitch."

"Henry!" Regina and Emma both said in shock.

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "It's the truth."

Regina grabbed his chin and leaned down to be face to face with him. "I don't care. You do not curse." She said firmly before standing straight. "Have you taught him that word?" She said to Emma. "You probably say it all the time."

Emma stared back at her angrily for accusing her of teaching Henry that word. "At least I don't act like one all the time." She said getting closer to Regina's face.

Henry squeezed between them and pushed them back. "Will you two stop fighting?! Neither of you taught me that word. I heard it at school and no mom..." He said looking at Regina. "I didn't hear it from Mary Margaret."

Emma was frustrated and she didn't want to stay at Regina's any longer than she had to. "Henry, I think we should go now. Get your things, ill be in the car." She said before storming out.

Henry grabbed his bag from the living room and hugged Regina before leaving. As soon as they left Regina ran upstairs to check on her daughter. She entered Mandy's room quietly so she didn't wake her. Regina was shocked when she saw that Mandy wasn't in her bed and her room was a mess; things were thrown all over the place.

Mandy walked in behind her. "Sorry about the mess, I threw a little tantrum."

Regina turned at the sound of her voice. "A little tantrum? You completely trashed the place." She said looking back over the room.

"I'll clean it up, don't worry." Mandy said as she passed Regina to start picking a few things up.

"I thought you were resting." Regina said putting her hands on her hips.

"That's what I told Emma. I came up here to practice my magic but when that didn't work, I became frustrated and threw a fit." Mandy said trying to explain herself.

"Why doesn't it work?" Regina asked concerned.

Mandy threw her hands up and sighed. "I don't know. I tried to use it earlier in the fight but nothing happened."

"You're probably still weak from your previous injuries." Regina suggested to be the possible cause for her sudden loss of magic. Mandy only nodded in agreement and she resumed picking things up.

"You were defenseless, weren't you?" Regina asked her voice becoming less angry as she walked closer to her.

Mandy nodded. "Pretty much. I thought I could take it…whatever they were going to do to me."

Regina looked her over. "You're covered in bruises."

Mandy put her hand up. "I've had worse…trust me." She said like the bruises were no big deal.

Regina frowned. "That doesn't put me at ease…"

"It wasn't meant to…I'll be fine, don't worry." She bent down to pick up a book but winced in pain. She was hoping Regina didn't see, but she did.

"What's wrong?" Regina asked helping her up.

Mandy put her hand over her stomach. "I'm fine, really. I just bent down too quickly, that's all." Mandy said trying to get Regina to stop overreacting.

"Lift up your shirt." Regina said looking directly into Mandy's eyes.

"What?" Mandy asked confused.

"Lift up your shirt." She said more serious than before.

Mandy was hesitant at first but did as she was told revealing a very black and blue stomach. "Oh sweetie." Regina said in shock as she stared in awe at her daughter's stomach.

Mandy turned around to face the mirror to see for herself. "It hurts but I didn't think it would look this bad." She put her shirt down; she didn't want to look at it anymore. She turned back around to face Regina. "Do you mind if I clean up tomorrow? I'm really tired."

Regina waved her hand and the room was clean in seconds. "All your gonna do is rest." She said leading her to the bed.

Mandy climbed into bed with no complaint. When her head hit the pillow Regina was expecting her face to relax a bit but it didn't. "It's hard to breath." Mandy admitted.

Regina felt useless, she couldn't help her daughter with the pain she was feeling. "Would you like me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" Regina offered hoping it would relax Mandy.

Mandy's eyes lit up with happiness. "Really?"

"Of course!" Regina said before kicking of her heels and crawling next to Mandy.

"I didn't want to ask you. I know I'm too old to ask you to stay with me and that it'll have to stop soon." Mandy said not wanting to make eye contact with Regina.

Regina pulled her close to her chest and kept her hand on her head. "Nonsense. We've missed too much time together as it is. I don't care how old you are, you can always ask me to stay with you. You're my baby girl and always will be." She kissed the top of her head.

Mandy snuggled closer to her. "And you'll always be my mom…no matter how old _you_ get. I'll take care of you when you're old and gray and can't walk anymore."

"That's so touching…" Regina said sarcastically.

Mandy looked up at her. "You know what I meant."

Regina put a protective arm around Mandy's chest and her head rested back on Regina's. "I know sweetie. I'm just messing."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. We followed Cora today to see who she was dating." Mandy said remembering the events of the day before the attack.

"And…?" Regina said eagerly wanting to know what she found out.

"She could be dating either Maurice, the florist, Dr. Whale or King George." Mandy said as she played with the ends of her hair.

"Those are horrible choices!" Regina shrieked. "I don't like any of them."

"I know…so who do you think it is?" Mandy asked wanting to know what Regina was thinking.

Regina thought about it for a moment before answering. "My bet is on King George. She always had a thing for men of power…and he's a King and she always wanted to be Queen."

"Good point." Mandy said nodding her head in approval. "But we overheard Cora saying that she was going to meet Dr. Whale as 5 tonight."

"She was late in joining me at Granny's earlier…" Regina said realizing that might be the reason why.

"Not knowing who she's dating is driving me absolutely crazy." Mandy said frustrated.

"Don't let her find out about this. She doesn't want us to know." She warned. "I shouldn't have even told you!"

Mandy patted Regina's arm in reassurance. "Don't worry, I won't tell."

Regina smiled. "Good…Oh, there's something I have to ask you."

Mandy looked up at her. "Okay, shoot."

"Would you like to have a party for your 16th birthday?" Regina asked.

Mandy looked away and shrugged. "I don't know. I never had a party before. They seemed fun when the Randell's used to throw them for their kids…"

Regina didn't like hearing negative things that happened to her daughter when she was younger. She should've been there to protect her, to spoil her, to love her…but she wasn't. "They can be fun…Since you never had one, would you like one?"

"I suppose." She said not showing how excited she was about having a party.

"Well my mother and Snow want to throw you this grand ball for your birthday and for saving the kids." Regina said explaining to her who was really behind this whole thing.

"A grand ball, as in big fluffy dresses where everyone dances elegantly and all that?" She asked making exaggerated hand gestures.

Regina laughed. "Yes, something like that."

"That's something only royals do." Mandy said.

"Well you are royal." Regina replied.

Mandy shook her head. "Not really, I don't know how to do any of that…and I don't do dresses."

Regina smiled. "I don't think you're going get out of not wearing a dress, dear. Not with my mother planning this party."

"I don't know how I feel about this." Mandy said not sure if she wanted a royal ball or not. It really wasn't her style.

"We'll talk about it more tomorrow, but right now you need to sleep and rest." She kissed the top of her head.

Mandy closed her eyes and put her hands over Regina's arm. "Goodnight, mom."

Regina stroked her head. "Goodnight, my angel. Sweet dreams."

**So this chapter turned out to be longer than anticipated but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Things will pick up soon. Who do you think Cora is dating? Please review:)**


	28. Chapter 28 Therapy and Forgiveness

**Italics are Mandy's thoughts.**

Chapter 28: Therapy and Forgiveness

Regina dropped Mandy off at Dr. Hopper's office. He welcomed her in when she knocked on the door. She took a seat on the couch, waiting for Dr. Hopper to begin the session.

"What would you like to talk about, Miranda?" Archie asked as he sat down across from her.

Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I don't really do this sorta thing."

Archie had this problem with all his first time patients. They weren't sure how to start things off and had trouble talking about the things that were bothering them. "I can tell you're a little apprehensive about being here, but it will help. Why don't you start with what's bothering you the most." He suggested.

Mandy took a minute to think. "I guess it would have to be the guilt I have over killing Peter."

"Who's Peter?" Archie questioned.

"My boyfriend….well was." She answered sadly. "I didn't mean to kill him. I just didn't want him to hurt Henry."

"Sounds like you were just protecting Henry." Archie replied.

"But it doesn't change the fact that he's dead. I killed him and I will never get to see him again." She argued.

Archie sighed. "Death is something we all have to deal with some time in our lives. Some are taken from us too soon but it's best to remember the good times you had together and know that he is in a better place."

"Well I guess I'm selfish because I want him here with me." Mandy replied.

"It's not selfish, it's normal." Archie said assuring her that what she was feeling was perfectly fine.

"Can we talk about something else?" Mandy asked wanting to move on to a different topic.

"Sure. Why don't you talk about your relationship with Regina?" Archie suggested.

"What about it?" Mandy asked.

"Well you've only reconnected with her a little while ago, how are you handling that?"

"Good I guess. I was shocked to find out she was my mother but I'm glad I found her." She said smiling thinking about Regina.

"Sounds like you two are getting along." He smiled.

"We are! I really enjoy spending time with her." She replied happily.

"So you tell her everything then?" Archie asked.

Mandy looked down. "Not exactly."

"I thought you got along." Archie asked.

"We do, but what child tells their parents everything? Besides, I don't want her to know too much about my past." She said sadly.

"What happened in the past?"

Mandy looked up at him. "If I don't want to tell her, what makes you think I want to tell you?" She answered angrily.

"I'm only trying to help." Archie said keeping a calm voice.

Mandy sighed. "I know, I'm sorry, this is just hard for me to talk about."

Archie nodded. "I understand. Most people don't like talking about things that happened to them in the past but once they do, it helps."

"I don't trust you yet so can we move on for now?" Mandy asked.

Archie wanted to stay on this topic but he didn't want to push her too early. "Okay. How have you been feeling lately?"

"Depressed mostly." She answered.

"Why? You saved all those children."

"That cost me my child's life, not to mention my own…for a few minutes." She said tears filling up in her eyes that she desperately fought back.

"You wanted to be a mother?" He asked.

"I was scared but I was going to keep him." She answered confidently.

"Him? How do you know it was a boy?" He asked confused as to why she referring to the baby as a boy when it was too early to tell.

Mandy didn't want to tell him about her attempted suicide and her talk with Peter and Daniel so she lied. "Call it a mother's intuition."

Archie knew she was lying. "I'd like to believe you, but I don't."

_Damn, I suck at lying. I don't want to tell him the truth but I feel bad because I haven't told him anything really. Maybe this was a bad idea. It's not helping. Maybe I should just tell him. Ugh, I'm so indecisive its annoying._

"Mandy?" Archie asked breaking her thoughts. "How do you know it was a boy?"

Mandy fumbled her words. "I…ugh…had a dream about Peter and he told me it was a boy." She wasn't exactly lying; she just left out part of the truth.

"It sounds like you finally accepted that they both passed away." Archie said.

Mandy nodded. "I guess I have. I feel better that Peter is taking care of him. I know he is safe with him. Peter would've been a great father."

"Did you name the baby?" Archie asked.

"No, it didn't really occur to me to do that. Do you think it would help?" She asked hopefully.

"I do. I think it will create some sort of closure for you if you named him." He responded.

"Noah." She whispered.

"What?" Archie asked not able to hear what she had mumbled.

"Noah." She said louder. "His name is Noah."

"That's a nice name. How did you come up with it?" Archie asked wanting to know the reasoning behind the name.

"When I first found out I was pregnant, I looked up some baby names. Noah was the one that stood out to me. It means 'rest and comfort'. I want him to be at peace." Mandy said remembering all the names she looked at and their meanings.

"I think Peter and Noah are both happy with the name and watching over you from above." Archie said smiling.

Mandy looked up to the ceiling smiling. "And my father." She added.

"I'm sure he's right there with them…So what do you like to do for fun?" Archie asked moving on to another topic.

Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I hang out with Henry a lot and the Lost Boys."

"You don't have any girl friends you hang around with?" He asked.

"Tinkerbell occasionally but other than that…not really."

"No friends at school?"

"I didn't really have friends. I stopped going to school once the curse was broken."

"Why? You didn't like it?" He asked surprised.

"What kid likes going to school? Besides, I've gone to school for 28 years, I think I've spent more than enough time there."

"But now that time in unfrozen, you get to move up a grade and learn new things." Archie informed. "You get to interact with different people and make new friends. I think it will help you in the long run."

"I'll think about it. Can I go now?" She asked eagerly.

"It's only been half hour." He protested.

"I know but I don't really feel like talking anymore. Maybe next time." Mandy said. She felt like she had been talking for hours.

"I think we covered a lot in a half hour, I suppose we can end early." Archie said.

"Great, thanks." She said getting up and heading towards the door.

"Miranda, I would like to have another session tomorrow." Archie said also standing up.

Mandy turned. "Fine, but can we make it for 1pm. I'm not a morning person."

Archie laughed, "Yes, 1pm is fine. I would also like to have a group session."

"Like Regina, Cora, and me?" She asked surprised.

Archie nodded. "Yes and a few other people."

Mandy crossed her arms. "How many are we talking?"

* * *

Snow came over Regina's to plan the party. They were in the living room with a whole bunch of papers with decoration and party stuff on them spread all over the floor.

"I think we should go with the white table clothes." Snow said holding up a picture with different colored table clothes.

"If we go with white, you'll be able to see all the stains when people drop food on it. No we are going with a deep red." Cora said shooting down Snow's suggestion.

"But Cora…" Snow started to argue but was interrupted by Regina.

"No sense in arguing with her Snow." Regina said knowing the younger woman wouldn't win against her mother. It was always her mother's way or no way.

Snow sighed knowing Regina was right. "Fine. All we have left are the invitations."

"We'll invite all the royals!" Cora said excitedly.

"We are inviting everyone Cora. Mandy doesn't know many royals anyway." Snow said correcting Cora.

"I don't think she cares to either." Regina added. "Besides, royal standings don't really matter here."

"Well that's depressing." Cora said upon hearing the news on the statuses of everyone.

They heard the front door slam and Regina made her way to the front to see who it was. She saw Mandy going up the stairs.

"Miranda, what are you doing home? I was going to pick you up." Regina said wondering why her daughter was home before she was supposed to be.

"It ended early." She said simply.

"Why, did something happen?" Regina asked a little worried. Snow and Cora were behind the living room wall, listening to their conversation on the stairs.

"No, I just got tired of talking. That's all."

"Come down here, please." Regina said seriously.

Mandy rolled her eyes but complied. "What?" She said aggravated as she got to the bottom step so she was eye level with Regina.

"Honey, I need you talk to Archie." Regina said more calmly.

"Why?" Mandy whined.

Regina took her hands in hers. "Because you won't tell _me_ what's going on and I'm worried about you."

"Nothing's going on, I'm fine." Mandy said trying to sound happy.

"Then why did you want to go in the first place?" Regina asked.

Mandy pulled her hands away from her. "To get you to stop worrying about me." She lied. She thought Archie might be able to help.

Regina narrowed her eyes. "There's more to it than that, you're just not telling me."

_I hate that she knows me so well but then again, it's comforting in a way. It means that we've become close enough to pick up on each others habits and mechanisms._ Mandy gritted her teeth. "I'll talk to Archie more at my next session, okay? Does that make you feel better?" She said with a slight attitude as she crossed her arms.

Regina nodded. "You don't have to tell him everything at once, okay? I want you to feel comfortable."

"I will if you stop worrying so much." Mandy said.

"It's a mother's job to worry." Regina responded.

Mandy looked guilty. "Do you wish you never had me then?"

Regina put her finger to Mandy's lips. "Nonsense. I'm so grateful to have you with me every day. I don't know what I would do without you." She said smiling.

Mandy wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. Regina lifted her up and spun her around. "I'm sorry." Mandy whispered into her ear. Regina squeezed her tighter before setting her down.

Mandy looked up at Regina with her big brown eyes. "I named my baby Noah." She said smiling.

Regina smiled. "That's a cute name. What makes you so sure it was a boy?"

Mandy grabbed her hands. "I just know."

Regina accepted her answer. "Why don't you come in the living room? We are planning your party." She said motioning towards the living room.

Cora and Snow quickly ran back to their spots on the sofa, acting like they've been there the entire time Regina was out in the hallway.

"So are we going to send them out tomorrow?" Snow asked trying to sound normal.

"Why not today?" Cora asked.

Snow shook her head. "We have to make them still."

Cora rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Snow." She waved her hand and a ton of invitations were on the table in front of them.

Snow's mouth dropped when she saw them. "Today works too." She said nodding her head.

Mandy was shocked when she saw how many invitations appeared. "How many people are coming to this thing?"

"Everyone in Storybrooke." Cora said happily.

"But I don't know everyone in Storybrooke." Mandy protested.

"They know you." Snow said smiling.

"I liked it better when I was invisible…" Mandy mumbled.

"I guess if we don't have anything else to do then I'll get going." Snow said as she stood up.

Mandy remembered she had to tell them all something. "Wait, Snow before you go Archie wanted me to tell you all something."

"All of us?" Regina asked confused as to what it might be.

Mandy nodded. "He wants to do a group therapy session with everyone."

"Who's everyone?" Snow asked.

Mandy tried to think of everyone Archie had mentioned earlier. "You, me, Regina, Cora, Emma, Henry, Neal, Gold, and David."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Miranda." Cora said knowing how that day would turn out.

"Yea, all of us in the same room is a little frightening. Who knows what we will say." Snow added.

"It's not my idea, it was Archie's. I'm just the messenger." Mandy said putting her hands up in defense.

"What the hell is that bug thinking?" Regina asked rhetorically.

"So many secrets would come out." Snow said shaking her head.

"I think we'd kill each other before we let that happen." Cora said making her way over to the group near the doorway.

"Well I'll tell him tomorrow that you all shot down his idea." Mandy said as she leaned on the door frame.

"I think that would be best." Regina said nodding her head.

"Cora, if you could get all those invitations in my car that would be great! I can mail them on the way home." Snow said cheerfully.

Cora waved her hand and the invitations disappeared. "Thanks Cora. I'll see you all at the dress fittings later." Snow said before heading out the door.

"Dress fittings?" Mandy asked disgusted as she stood up straight.

"Yes. You'll pick out the dress you want but you have to be properly fitted." Cora answered.

Mandy looked up at Regina for help. Regina shrugged her shoulders. "At least she didn't pick it out for you."

Mandy crossed her arms and leaned back on the door frame. "I have a feeling I'm not going to like this party."

"Oh you will. We have so many things planned!" Cora said with glee.

"You finished planning the entire party in an hour?" Mandy asked arching her eyebrows, just like Regina used to do when she was her age.

"They were planning since 8 this morning." Regina answered. "It's sickening how excited they are." She looked disgusted.

"What time is this stupid fitting?" Mandy asked.

"4pm." Cora replied.

"Good, I've got time for a nap." Mandy said before she turned to head up to her room.

Cora grabbed her arm. "Oh no, we have too much to do."

"What are you talking about?" Mandy asked furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.

"You have to learn how to speak properly, how to dance, how to act, how to…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn't agree to any of this." Mandy said waving her off.

"Mother, half the people won't know how to act royally so it doesn't matter how Miranda acts or dances as long as she has fun." Regina replied aggravated that her mother was still worried about status.

"Then that should give her the incentive to be better than those commoners." Cora replied not giving a second thought to what her daughter had just said.

"I _am_ one of those commoners!" Mandy yelled at Cora.

Regina and Cora were both surprised by her sudden outburst. "No, you're not. You are a princess. And _don't_ raise your voice at me." Cora hissed her eyes full of rage at her granddaughter's back talk.

Mandy was just as fired up as Cora was. "I am not a princess…I grew up catering to the needs of the stupid people _you_ left me with. I'm not going to be something I'm not. If you can't accept that, then you can just cancel the party." She screamed before running up to her room.

Cora just stood there in shock. "Nice going mother. You just ruined what was supposed to be a nice day all because of your stupid obsession with status." Regina said angrily before storming out of the living room leaving Cora to think about everything that was just said her.

* * *

Emma, Henry and David were eating lunch when Snow came in.

"There you are!" David exclaimed when he saw his wife. "We were getting worried."

"Yea, we almost came to rescue you." Emma added.

Snow walked over to the table and took a seat. "I wasn't in need of rescuing. Aside from a few little arguments with Cora, it went well. Just finished sending out the invitations."

"You planned an entire party in a few hours?" Henry asked shocked.

Snow smiled at their accomplishment. "You can get a lot done when you are determined." She said pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"And Mandy's okay with this huge party?" Emma asked with her mouth full of food.

Snow nodded. "I think so. But she did mention that Archie wants us all to go to group therapy."

David dropped his fork in shock. "What is he, crazy?"

"That's going to be a disaster!" Emma exclaimed.

"Don't worry; it's not going to happen. Cora and Regina already shot the idea down, as did I." Snow assured them.

"Thank goodness! I don't think I could sit in the same room as them." David sighed in relief that he wouldn't have to.

"He wanted Neal and Gold to join us as well." Snow laughed. "I think Archie is going crazy if he thought that would end well."

"Someone would end up dead if that happened." Emma said as she shoveled more food into her mouth.

"Can I stay over Regina's tonight?" Henry asked moving on to another topic.

Emma almost choked on her food. "Ugh…" She looked to both her parents for the answer but they were just as shocked as she was by the question. "Sure kid, if you really want to."

"Did you ask Regina?" David questioned.

Henry shook his head. "No I wanted to ask you first. I didn't want to get her hopes up if you said no."

"I think Regina would like that very much!" Snow said smiling. "We will tell her later when we see them."

"We're seeing them later?" Henry questioned.

"Emma and I are when we get fitted for our dresses with them." Snow answered before sipping her juice.

"I have to wear a dress?" Emma questioned arching her eyebrows.

"Well of course, it's a ball!" Snow replied.

"You didn't expect to wear jeans and button down shirt did you?" David asked laughing.

Emma frowned at David's little joke. "No but I didn't think I had to wear a dress."

"What about me, what do I get to wear?" Henry asked eagerly.

David put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry buddy, I gotcha covered."

"So back to the dress thing…" Emma said getting Snow's attention. "Is there any way I could wear like a nice pair of pants and a fancy shirt?"

Snow sighed. "Emma it's your first ball. You have to wear a dress."

Emma looked down at her food in disappointment. She then looked back up at Snow with a half-smile on her face. "What if it's a _really_ fancy shirt? I'll even wear a skirt with it!"

"Emma, it means a lot to your mother if you would just go along with this." David said pleading with his daughter.

Emma sighed." Fine." She gave in which made Snow squeal.

Snow jumped up from her seat and wrapped her hands around Emma's neck and hugged her tight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

* * *

Cora was on her way up the stairs when Regina spotted her. "Where are you going, mother?" She asked placing her hands on her hips at the bottom of the staircase.

Cora stopped and sighed. She was caught. "If you must know" she said as she turned to face Regina "I was on my way up to apologize to Miranda."

Regina arched her eyebrows. "You? Apologize?"

"Yes, you sound shocked." Cora said crossing her arms.

"Because I am. You never apologize…to anyone." Regina said as she crossed her arms mimicking her mother.

"Well I'm about to…so if you'll excuse me." She said before continuing up the stairs.

Regina wasn't missing this so she quietly followed her mother. Cora stopped right outside of Mandy's door when she noticed Regina was following her. "What are you doing?" Cora asked in a loud aggravated whisper.

"I came to watch this apology and to make sure you don't hurt her feelings any more than you already have." Regina shot back in the same tone Cora used.

"Regina, I am old enough to handle an apology by myself. I don't need supervision." Cora whisper yelled.

"That's where you're wrong mother. You can't be trusted!" Regina shot back.

"I can so!" Cora said.

"Can not!"

"Can so!"

"Can not!"

Miranda's door suddenly opened causing both women to stop talking immediately. "You do realize you aren't whispering…I can hear you."

Cora straightened her blazer and cleared her throat. "Can I talk to you?"

Mandy frowned as she leaned on the door. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Regina can stay…" Cora said quickly hoping allowing her to stay would ease Miranda's nerves.

Mandy looked at Regina and then back at Cora. "Fine." She sighed and opened the door wider, signaling them to come in. Mandy sat on the bed waiting for Cora to begin.

"Regina, please sit down." Cora said. Regina shot her a look before taking a seat next to Mandy on the bed. Cora began pacing back and forth. She really never apologized before and didn't really know how.

Mandy leaned closer to Regina so Cora wouldn't hear. "I could be napping right now…"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Mother, today."

"I'm getting my thoughts together." She said still pacing the room.

Mandy hopped off the bed. "Well while you do that, I'm gonna go grab something to eat."

Before she could take another step, Cora flew out her hands sending Mandy flying back onto the bed. Regina tried to catch her to ease the fall.

"Mother, what the hell?!" Regina screamed.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Reflex."

Mandy quickly crawled behind Regina and put her hands on her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Cora asked rolling her eyes.

Mandy poked her head out from behind Regina. "I'm staying behind mom until you say whatever it is you have to say. I'm not in the mood to fly through the air anymore today."

"Just get on with it mother!" Regina commanded.

Cora looked at her feet then back up at Miranda and Regina. "Miranda, I'm so sorry for going a little over board earlier today. I get caught up in parties. I was always crashing them when I was your age for the free food, never to enjoy them or meet people. I was busy trying to run my father's stupid mill and make as much money as we could. I just wanted you to experience things I never did. I wanted better for you, for _both_ of you."

"You owned a mill?" Mandy asked surprised.

"Yes, it's not something I want to remember." Cora said shaking her head.

Regina's eyes narrowed on her mother. "If you wanted what was best for _both_ of us, why did you take her from."

Cora threw her hands up. "We've been over this Regina. You were about to become Queen."

Regina would've stood up but Mandy was holding on to her. "So, what was best for my daughter was to be sent away to be taken care of by a family who abused her?"

Cora walked closer to Regina. "I didn't know they were like that, Regina. They had two kids so I thought they would be good parents. I wouldn't have left her there if I'd known."

"Can we just drop this, please?" Mandy begged. She hated when people talked about her, especially about her past.

Regina ignored her, she was already fired up. "Families are supposed to protect one another. You're her grandmother!" Regina yelled.

"I was going to get her back once you were married to the King, but you pushed me into the Looking Glass before any of that was possible." Cora yelled back.

"Are you saying it's my fault she was abused?" Regina asked in a deep voice.

Mandy couldn't listen to them fight anymore. "It's my own fault. I should've stopped it or ran away. I don't like talking about this. Please, can we just drop it? Please?" Mandy begged.

Regina turned around and took hold of her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "What happened back then was never your fault. You were only a child, you still are. Don't think for a second this was your fault."

"Regina's right." Mandy and Regina looked at Cora in shock. She just admitted that Regina was right. "I'm sorry. I take full responsibility. Everything was a mistake. I shouldn't have taken you away from your mother. You needed her, like she needed you."

"It's about damn time you admitted you were wrong." Regina said angrily.

"I know. I thought I was doing what was best for you, Regina, but what was best was to let you keep your daughter." Cora said looking into Regina's eyes.

Regina walked closer to her mother. "Did you feel any regret when you saw how upset I was when I thought she had died?" She asked still holding anger in her voice.

"I was thinking with my head, not my heart so…no I didn't." Cora responded sadly but truthfully. "I do now though. That's all I have is regret."

"It amazes me that you felt nothing when you handed her over. You didn't want to watch her grow up and live her life like I did?"

Cora put her head down in shame. "I've failed you both in the past…" She picked her head back up. "But I would like to make up for that now."

Mandy stepped in front of Regina. "I hope you really mean that, Cora."

Cora took her hands. "I do, I really do!"

Mandy smiled. "We better get going if we wanna make the fitting."

"You mean you still want to have the party?" Cora asked surprised.

Mandy nodded. "Yea, you and Snow worked really hard on it and the invitations have already been sent out so.."

In all the excitement Cora was feeling about her still wanting the party and that she apologized she gave Miranda a hug, which shocked both Regina and Mandy. "You'll have fun. I'll go get my things and meet you both at the door." She said before leaving. Regina placed her arms around Mandy's neck. "You're incredible, you know that."

Mandy looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

"First, you stood up to her, something I never had the guts to do, then you accept her apology with grace after everything she has done and you got a hug from her!" She said listing Miranda's accomplishments in just one day that she has been trying to do for years.

"I guess." Mandy said shrugging her shoulders.

"And what made you change your mind about the party?" Regina asked.

Mandy turned to face her. "Don't tell Cora, but I'm really excited. My first party!" She said jumping up and down like a five year old hopped up on candy.

Regina laughed. "I'm glad to hear that!" She said before they both went down to join Cora at the front door.

**I was having trouble writing this chapter so it came out longer than expected. Let me know if there is anything you would like me to include in the story and don't forget to review!**


	29. Chapter 29 Dress Fittings

** carriemarie78: I will try to think of something for her next therapy session. Thanks for the suggestion!**

Chapter 29: Dress Fittings

Snow and Emma were already waiting in the dress shop when Cora, Regina and Mandy walked in.

"Good afternoon Snow, Emma." Cora said nodding in their direction.

They both nodded back. "Good afternoon, Cora." Snow replied.

"You didn't start picking out your dresses yet?" Cora asked surprised.

Snow shook her head. "No. We wanted to wait until Miranda picked hers out. She _is_ the guest of honor after all." She smiled.

"So how does this all work?" Mandy asked unsure of what do to first.

"Take a look around and pick out what you like." Regina said motioning towards the racks of dresses.

"Why don't you join her Emma?" Snow suggested.

"Ugh sure. Come on kid." Emma said nodding her head for Mandy to come with her.

"So what color dress were you two thinking about wearing?" Snow asked them.

"Red." They replied in unison. They both looked at each other.

"I'm wearing red , mother. Pick a different color." Regina said firmly.

Cora shook her head. "Oh no Regina! Red looks better on me so you'll be the one picking another color."

"Neither one of us gets to wear that color…agreed?" Regina said gritting her teeth.

"Fine." Cora reluctantly agreed before turning back to Snow. "What color are you thinking about Snow?"

"Maybe a peach color or a silver. I'm not sure yet." She responded.

"You'll look great in either color, dear." Cora reassured her.

"You're in a rather cheerful mood today, Cora." Snow said eyeing the older woman suspiciously.

Regina glared at her. "Yes mother, it's very out of character."

Cora smiled. "I'm just happy is all." She really was happy. She felt better that she apologized to her daughter and granddaughter earlier and things were going great in her world.

"Well the invitations were sent out, so we're all set." Snow said giving them an update.

"Perfect." Cora replied happily.

"Oh Regina, would it be okay if Henry spent the night at your house? He really wants to spend time with you." Snow said remembering Henry had asked earlier.

Regina was surprised." He wants to spend the night?!"

"Yea, would that be okay?" Snow questioned.

"Of course! He is always welcome to stay over whenever he likes." Regina replied with a huge smile on her face. Her son actually wants to spend time with her.

* * *

"Do you know what to look for when choosing a ball gown?" Mandy asked Emma as she scanned a rack of dresses.

"Not a clue. I was hoping you would." Emma said as she looked at the same rack from the other side.

"I don't really do dress, so this is all new to me." Mandy admitted.

Emma nodded. "I only wore dresses when I went out on dates, which was few and far between."

Mandy laughed. "So I take it this is your first ball too?"

Emma sifted through dresses as she answered. "Yea. I don't know if I'm excited, nervous or completely dreading it."

"I feel the same way. This will be my first birthday party though; I'm excited for that part." Mandy said with a hint of excitement in her voice.

Emma stopped what she was doing and looked at Mandy. "You never had a birthday party?"

Mandy shook her head as she pulled out a dress to look at it better. "No, my foster family only had them for their real children and time was frozen here, so birthdays didn't really happen."

Emma looked back down at a dress. "I see."

"What about you?" She asked putting the dress back on the rack. "You were in a similar situation…with foster parents and everything. Did you ever have a party?"

Emma thought about it for a moment. "I was turning 10, double digits. The foster family I was with at the time were really great. They went all out. They bought me this huge red velvet cake with my favorite Disney character on it, Belle. I was obsessed with that movie. They even bought me a Belle doll...Now that I know the real Belle, its kinda weird." She laughed nervously. "It was the first time I actually felt loved, like I belonged."

"What happened?" Mandy asked breaking Emma's little flashback.

"The man got laid off and they couldn't afford to keep me and their 2 kids all the while paying the bills and stuff. They wanted to keep me but they couldn't do it financially. It's no big deal." Emma said shaking it off.

"Things have a funny way at working out…" Mandy said as she continued to look at the dresses.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked curiously.

"Well if they kept you, you would already have a family so you wouldn't have come back here and Henry probably wouldn't have been here either." Mandy said logically.

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I guess you're right." She picked out a light green dress with rhinestones and glitter all over it. "What do you think about this one?"

Mandy scrunched her face. "You actually like that?"

She laughed. "No I just wanted to see your reaction." She hung it back up and kept looking.

"Emma, can I ask you something?" Mandy asked hoping she would say yes.

"Sure kid."

"When one of your foster parents or siblings hit you, what did you do?" Mandy asked in a whisper so no one would hear.

Emma stared at her. She didn't want to talk about her past; she hated talking about herself period. "I…ugh…don't think we should be having this conversation."

Mandy walked closer to her with a sad expression and wide eyes staring up at her. "Emma, you're the only person I can talk to about this. No one else gets it. I don't want to talk to my mom about this, I'm sure you don't like talking to Snow about it either."

"Aren't you going to therapy? Can't you tell Archie?" Emma asked.

"It's humiliating…and he doesn't understand." Mandy complained.

Emma sighed and kneeled behind a rack of dresses pulling Mandy down with her so they were both out of sight. "I'll talk to you but, not here. We can do it in a more private setting, just you and me. Okay?"

Mandy was happy she had someone to talk to, someone who understood her, even if it was just a little bit. "Thank you." She whispered.

"I've got an idea to lighten the mood!" Emma said trying to move on to a new, not so depressing topic.

"Anything to make this dress shopping bearable." Mandy replied.

"Why don't we pick out the most outrageous dresses to try on. All 3 of them would totally freak out." Emma exclaimed.

Mandy gave her a devious smile that reminded her all too much of Regina. "I like the way you think, Ms. Swan." After she said those last two words, Emma knew this was definitely Regina's daughter.

"What are you two doing down there?" Regina said appearing behind Emma with her hands on her hips.

"I was just helping her find her ring." Emma lied.

"Well hurry up. You still need to pick out your dresses." She said frustrated.

Mandy flashed her mom a smile. "Oh, we will."

* * *

Mandy was the first to come out of the dressing room. She had on a teal holter dress that had a huge black bow right below her breasts and ruffles flowed all the way down. Snow tried to hide her disapproval, while Regina and Cora let it show on their faces.

"Honey, that bow is way too big!" Regina said shaking her head.

"The dress is eating you." Cora said the disapproval clearly in her voice.

Mandy looked in the full length mirror behind her. "What are you talking about, it fits perfectly! And the bow just adds to the beauty!" She said excitedly as she spun around.

Emma poked her head out of the dressing room when she heard them commenting on Mandy's dress. "Emma, what do you think?" Mandy asked smiling.

"I think you look great in that color!" Emma complimented her.

Cora rolled her eyes. "Emma, you don't have to lie."

Emma shook her head. "I'm not lying. It totally brings out her natural tan. I'm so jealous of you. I only get burnt when I sunbathe."

"Emma, let's see what you're wearing!" Mandy clapped with glee.

Emma shyly stepped out of the dressing room wearing a bright orange dress that was covered in sequins and had a bustle in the back. Regina, Snow and Cora's faces dropped.

Mandy put her hands on her cheeks and exclaimed, "Oh Emma! You look simply radiant. You're like the sun, beaming down from the sky!" She was really getting into this little joke.

Emma winked at her. "Thanks Mandy!" She turned to the other three for their opinions. "Well?"

"Emma, I don't think that's the right dress for you." Snow said trying to let her down gently.

Regina and Cora had no problem telling her what they were thinking. "Your breasts are popping out to say hello." Regina said noticing Emma's overflowing top portion.

"And the dress is so huge; you could probably fit all seven dwarves under it." Cora added noticing how fluffy the dress was.

Emma and Mandy couldn't stop laughing, not at Cora's joke but the fact that they actually thought they liked the dresses they had on.

"Now girls, I know this is your first ball but I would think you both had better taste in dresses then this." Snow said hoping they would get the hint that the dresses they picked out were ugly.

Mandy ran into her dressing room and pulled out another dress. "Like this one?" She held up a brown dress with yellow beading all over it.

"Or this one?" Emma said when she pulled out another ugly dress.

All of their faces dropped when they couldn't believe the dresses they were picking out.

"Miranda Nicole Mills! You're doing this on purpose aren't you?!" Regina said in a serious tone, her eyes narrowed on Miranda.

Miranda wasn't fazed by her mother's scolding. "Why would I do that, mother?" She asked innocently.

"You're both doing it!" Snow realized.

Emma put her hand on her chest. "I'm shocked you would even think that!"

Emma and Mandy couldn't keep it together anymore. They started cracking up and couldn't stop.

"You two are unbelievable, you know that!" Cora yelled putting her hands on her hips.

"You should've seen your faces! They were priceless!" Mandy said and they laughed even harder.

Regina, Snow and Cora were not laughing, They each had a serious face on. Emma noticed and nudged Mandy. "We'll take it seriously form now on."

"Sorry if we hurt your feelings in anyway." Mandy added as she stopped laughing.

"We were just trying to get through this dress shopping thing." Emma said trying to explain themselves.

Mandy nodded in agreement to what Emma had said. "Yea, we're new to it. It's not something we like to do so we tried to have fun with it."

Cora wasn't playing around. "I suggest you both stop talking and go pick out a dress that you actually _want_ to wear before I get even angrier then I already am."

Mandy and Emma both scrambled to get back into their dressing rooms. All three women let out a laugh once they were gone.

"Did you see how scared they looked when Cora threatened them?!" Snow laughed.

Regina laughed and added, "And how they tripped and fumbled back into their dressing rooms."

Emma and Mandy poked their heads out. "Are you making fun of us?" Emma asked.

"Why would you think that?" Snow shot back.

"They're totally making fun of us!" Mandy exclaimed.

Cora smiled. "Gotcha back."

* * *

Emma and Mandy's fun was over. They picked out the dresses they wanted and were finally being fitted. They were standing on a platform side by side. They needed help getting into their dresses so there were seamstresses everywhere. They were in a frenzy because it had been so long since they had to dress royals for a grand ball. They were so excited to make elegant dresses again. Regina, Cora and Snow stood in front of both girls on display.

"This is weird…all these people fussing over me." Mandy said watching all the seamstresses take her measurements.

"I feel the same way." Emma agreed.

"Don't worry, you get used to it after a while." Snow reassured them.

"But I can dress myself." Emma argued.

"You might be able to throw on a pair of jeans and a shirt, but try lacing up a corset by yourself." Regina commented.

Emma shook her head. "I won't be wearing a corset."

"The dress you picked out has a corset, Emma." Cora informed her.

"Seriously?!" Emma asked as her face dropped.

"You didn't know that?" Cora scoffed.

The seamstresses quickly undressed Emma and put her in the gown she chose. "Is it supposed to be this tight?" Emma asked making an uncomfortable face.

"How tight is it?" Snow asked noticing her face.

"It's a little hard to breathe." She replied.

"It's perfect then." Cora said smiling.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Why would anyone wear a dress they're not comfortable in?"

"It was the height of fashion in the Enchanted Forest if you must know." Cora said putting her nose in the air.

"I'm starting to think you all lived during the Middle Ages." Emma said remembering that time in history and how the Enchanted Forest and the people from their reminded her of that time.

"The what, dear?" Cora asked unfamiliar with the time period she had referenced.

"Nevermind, ancient history." She said waving off Cora's question. She didn't feel like giving a history lesson right now. "Although, you're pretty ancient yourself. How old are you, Cora?"

Cora was offended. "A lady never reveals her age."

The seamstresses were now fussing over Mandy. When they undressed her, they gasped. "Miss, are you alright?" One seamstress asked noticing Mandy's bruised stomach.

Mandy quickly covered it with her hands. "It's nothing. Can you just put the dress on, please?" She asked as kindly as she could.

Emma saw the bruises before she covered them. "Is that from…"

Mandy nodded, answering Emma's question before she could even finish it. Emma saw the pain on her face as they put her in the dress and laced it up. That's when she realized that she needed to talk to Mandy about the abuse she suffered as a child. She wanted to help Mandy through it and it might help her too. The seamstresses were working super-fast to get Mandy out of the dress as soon as possible.

Regina walked over and stood in front of her daughter and picked up her hands. "They're almost done, can you hold on a little longer? I know it hurts, honey." Regina said looking up into Mandy's big brown eyes.

Mandy just nodded. She didn't want to cry and she knew if she opened her mouth to speak, sobs would escape her. She wanted to hold it together, to be the Princess Cora wanted her to be even though she knew that was impossible.

Regina saw the glisten in her eyes as she desperately tried to to fight back the tears. "Squeeze my hands until it's all over." Mandy did and shut her eyes.

Emma just watched as Regina tried to calm her daughter. She wanted to help and the best way she knew how was to distract her. She stopped the seamstresses who were working on her dress and walked over to stand beside Regina.

"Hey kid." Mandy opened her eyes and stared at Emma. "Henry tells me you're a great sword fighter."

"He did?" She asked her voice trembling.

Emma nodded. "He said you beat Peter in an epic duel. He was so amazed he wouldn't stop talking about it!" She said smiling.

"He learned how to a little bit…Peter taught him before he…well…changed." Mandy said putting her head down.

Regina shot her a look. Emma forgot that Peter would be a swore subject for Mandy. "But he was more impressed with you." She said trying to refocus the conversation. "He also told me you beat Hook!"

Mandy gave her a slight smile. "That old cod fish loved sword fighting with me. I always won though." She said proudly before a seamstress tugged on the dress the wrong way, making Mandy wince in pain as she let out a soft whimper.

"Careful!" Regina snapped to the seamstresses. "She is in a very fragile state."

Emma continued with the conversation. "I don't doubt you beat Hook. I would love to see you two duel some time!"

"I'd be up for a challenge and I know Hook would be too!" Mandy said.

"You are not doing anymore fighting." Regina said reprimanding her daughter.

Mandy pouted but before she could argue with her mother, Emma began speaking again. "You know, I fought Hook back in the Enchanted Forest."

"You did?!" Mandy asked shocked.

"Yea and Snow was battling Cora." Emma added.

Mandy looked up at the two woman behind her. "Why were you two fighting?"

Regina nudged Emma. "Nice going." She whispered annoyed.

Emma thought Mandy knew everything Cora had done in the past but when she realized she didn't, she tried to cover it up. "It was more of a game. Who could get back to Storybrooke first. Snow and I won."

Mandy looked back up at Cora. "Sorry you lost, Cora. If you didn't have Hook on your team, you probably would've won."

Cora sighed. "Yes, I realize that…"

A seamstress tapped Mandy's shoulder. "All done miss, would you like to take it off now?"

"Yes, please!" She practically yelled.

They quickly and gently removed her dress and changed her back into her own clothes.

"Thanks for distracting her." Regina whispered to Emma.

"No problem. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to get out of this dress myself." Emma said before getting back on the platform and letting the seamstresses finish.

"Are you three going to pick out your dresses?" Mandy asked stepping down from the platform.

"Oh, we picked ours already." Snow informed her.

"You did?!" Emma asked shocked.

"While you two were sitting on the floor, we picked our dresses and were fitted." Regina answered crossing her arms.

"That quickly?" Mandy asked.

"We know how this sorta thing goes, dear. We don't waste time." Cora replied.

"Well, excuuuuse me." Mandy said sassily placing her hands on her hips.

**I liked writing this chapter. I wanted to have a little bit of fun with Emma and Mandy, so I hope you liked it! Let me know:)**


	30. Chapter 30 Someone's Jealous

**Conversation between Regina/Cora and Mandy/Henry take place at the same time.**

Chapter 30: Someone's Jealous

Emma dropped Henry off at Regina's house so he could spend the night. Regina was elated that Henry wanted to stay over. She hadn't seen him in a while and she really missed him. Henry ran upstairs to quickly put his things away so he could join Regina.

Mandy caught him going in and decided to see what he wanted to do tonight. "What's up, Henry?" She asked standing in the doorway.

Henry turned around, startled by the sudden voice that filled the room. "Oh, hey Mandy!"

"I'm excited you're staying over. We can stay up late and watch movies or play games." She said excitedly as she thought of things they could do.

Henry gave her a slight smile. "Actually, I wanted to spend tonight with my mom. You understand, right?"

Mandy was hurt but she didn't show it. "Oh yea, that's cool. I'll see you later then. You two have fun."

"Thanks." He said smiling before he continued to unpack his things.

Mandy left and was heading back down the hall to her room, when she noticed Cora's door was ajar. She knocked and slowly opened it when she didn't hear a response. "Cora?" She asked peaking her head inside.

"In here, dear." She heard faintly from the walk-in closet.

"What are you doing?" Mandy asked.

"Rearranging my closet. I just realized how much clothing I had accumulated since arriving in Storybrooke. I apparently shop too much." She answered looking around her full closet. Mandy let out a slight laugh.

"Why aren't you playing with Henry?" Cora questioned.

"He wanted to spend time with Regina, so I was thinking I could spend some time with you?" She asked hopefully.

"I'd love that!" Cora exclaimed as she wrapped her arm around her and walked out of the closet.

"What do you want to do?" Mandy asked.

"Whatever your little heart desires." Cora answered in a soft voice.

"Wanna go to Granny's and get milkshakes then come back and watch a movie?" Mandy suggested.

"If that's what you want to do, we'll do it!" She said smiling down at her granddaughter.

Mandy grabbed her hand. "Let's go!" She said pulling her out of the room and down the steps.

"Honey, slow down. I don't move as fast as I used to." Cora said out of breath.

Mandy stopped on the stairs and let her go. "Sorry, just got a little excited." She said as an excuse. She walked down the rest of the stairs slowly.

She heard laughter coming from the living room and saw Regina and Henry looking through a scrapbook together. Cora came up behind her and took in the scene as well. "Should we invite them?" Cora whispered in Mandy's ear.

Mandy shook her head but kept her eyes on the laughing pair. "No. They're having fun right where they are." She said sadly as she walked toward the front door. Cora looked at them for a moment longer before joining her granddaughter.

"Neither of us knows how to drive." She said realizing Regina was the only one that could and she was preoccupied at the moment. Cora snapped her fingers and they were both standing outside of Granny's diner. "Forgot about that." Mandy said smiling.

"Magic isn't all bad." Cora replied before leading the way into the diner.

* * *

"Do you remember when I brought you to the playground for the first time?" Regina asked Henry as they looked at old photos from when he was younger.

Henry nodded. "You pushed me on the swings for the first time. I was scared at first but you told me it was just like flying."

Regina laughed. "That's right. You loved the swings after that. I couldn't get you off."

Henry found a photo he didn't remember taking. "Where were we in this one?" He asked pointing to a photo of the two of them that had water in the background.

"I took you out on a boat. You were four then and so adorable!" She answered as she remembered that day perfectly.

"You took me on a boat…by yourself?" Henry asked shocked.

Regina nodded. "I'm proud to say I sailed a boat by myself while watching you at the same time. Not an easy task if I must say."

"Did I like it?" He asked looking up at her.

Regina shook her head. "You hated it. I think the rocking made you feel sick. I'm surprised I got you to smile for the picture."

Henry laughed. "I miss doing things with you."

Regina wrapped her arm around him. "So do I."

They heard the front door open and laughter fill the hallway.

"Did you see that girls face when you shape shifted into a younger woman and pretended to be that guys mistress?!" Mandy exclaimed.

"What was better was his face when she told him she was leaving him!" Cora said back laughing.

"And when you pretended to be Dr. Whale and hit on Ruby!" Mandy added making them both laugh harder.

Cora put her hand up to get Mandy to stop laughing for a moment. "The best was when you shape shifted into Snow and started to talk to animals on the way home. So many people were staring at you!"

They laughed. "That was such a great idea you had!" Mandy said through her laughter.

"What was a good idea?" Regina asked as she and Henry stepped into the hallway.

Mandy and Cora both stopped laughing when the heard Regina's voice. "Nothing, go back to whatever it was you were doing, dear." Cora said shooing them away.

"Where were you two?" Henry asked.

"Out." Mandy replied angrily as she crossed her arms.

"Miranda, is something wrong?" Regina asked noticing her daughter's tone and body language.

Cora put her hand on Mandy's back. "She's fine, dear, just tired is all. We are going to watch a movie upstairs. Get back to your bonding time with Henry." She said before guiding Mandy up the stairs and into her room.

Regina watched as they ascended the stairs. "Where do you think they were?" Henry asked also watching them.

"I don't know, but I'm not going to let it ruin my night with you." She said smiling down at him as they walked back into the living room to resume looking at pictures.

* * *

"What movie are we watching?" Cora asked as she sat down on her bed next to Miranda.

"The Hunger Games. I think you'll like this movie!" Mandy said excitedly.

"Do people play games for food?" She asked knowing nothing about this movie.

Mandy cocked her head to one side. "Something like that."

Cora seemed bored at first but when the actually games started she seemed intrigued. She kept shushing Mandy every time she tried to talk.

"That Peeta is one hell of a guy…and he's good looking too!" Cora said not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Cora!" Mandy exclaimed playfully hitting her arm.

"What?" She asked. "I'm allowed to look."

"You have a boyfriend though." As soon as Mandy said it she regretted it. She wasn't supposed to know about him and was hoping Cora didn't catch her slip up.

"And how do you know that?" Cora asked looking down at Mandy who sunk lower under the covers.

"I don't know who it is. I just know that you have one." She said hoping Cora believed her and wouldn't freak out.

"But how did you find out I had one?" Cora asked pulling the covers down so Mandy couldn't hide anymore.

_Shit. How did everyone know when I was lying or not telling the whole truth. It's starting to get annoying. _"I followed you but didn't figure out who it was you were seeing."

"Good." Cora said firmly before returning her attention back to the movie.

Mandy sat up and whined, "Are we ever going to find out?"

"You'll meet him at the party." She said answering her question without taking her eyes away from the screen.

"Is it someone I know?" She asked leaning closer to Cora.

Cora waved her off and shushed her. "No more questions. I'm watching the movie."

Mandy leaned back on the head board, folded her arms and pouted. Cora looked over and laughed. "Why are you laughing? Kids are fighting right now…" Mandy hissed,

"I'm laughing at you. You look just like Regina when she didn't get her way." Cora replied nudging her.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Just watch the movie Cora."

* * *

"What! That's it?" Cora exclaimed when the movie was over, her mouth gaping open.

Mandy laughed at her little outburst. "Yea, for now."

"I need to know what happens!" Cora said tugging Mandy's arm.

"The second movie doesn't come out for another four months." Mandy replied.

Cora shook her head. "No, that's too long. I want it now."

"You'll have to wait like the rest of us." She said turning off the TV.

Cora groaned. "I hate waiting."

"Are you tired?" Mandy asked as she set the remote down on the night stand.

"Not after watching that! I think I'm on an adrenaline high."

"Then would you mind helping me with my magic?" She asked shyly.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" Cora asked confused.

"Ever since I..ya know, died. I haven't been able to do magic that well." She said as she twiddled her thumbs.

"You shape shifted just fine earlier." Cora protested.

"I think because you taught that to me more recently, I was able to do it." Mandy replied.

"You must still be weak. Emma didn't heal you properly."

"So how do I fix it?" Mandy asked hoping Cora knew the answer.

"Here." Cora held out her hands expecting Mandy to take them.

She did. "Now what?"

"I'm going to recharge your powers." Cora said simply.

"That's a thing?" Mandy asked arching an eyebrow at the older woman.

"Yes, it's a thing. Now shut your eyes and focus." Cora instructed.

As soon as she did, she felt a rush of magic flow through her. She felt better than she had in days, magic wise.

Cora let her hands go. "Test it out. Do some magic."

Mandy wasn't sure how much she was capable of so she tried something small. She lifted her hands to remake the bed she and Cora has messed up while watching the movie, only the covers went flying across the room.

Mandy retracted her hands quickly. "I didn't mean to do that!" She said hoping Cora wasn't angry with her.

Cora wasn't angry at all. She simply shrugged it off. "That's okay, try something else."

_She's taking this rather well. _Mandy looked around the room and saw Cora's night gown hanging on the closet door. She snapped her fingers, hoping to dress Cora in her night gown but it didn't work out that way. She ended up wearing baggy jeans, a black t-shirt with a hat on her hand.

"What the hell did you dress me in?" Cora asked in shock as she looked down at her new attire.

Mandy cupped her hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter." I meant to put you in your night gown, sorry."

Cora was still in shock. "Who in the world would wear these atrocious clothes?"

Mandy whipped out her cell phone and held it up. "What are you doing?' Cora asked when she saw Mandy with her phone.

Mandy smiled. "Taking a picture. This is too good to pass up."

Cora quickly changed back into her previous outfit; black slacks, a red silk shirt and a blazer. "Try something else and this time…leave me outta of it!" She warned.

Mandy nodded. "Right, sorry."

* * *

Regina and Henry were in the middle of watching a movie and eating popcorn when they heard a loud thud from upstairs.

"What was that?" Henry asked looking to the ceiling.

"I don't know." Regina answered nervously. She stood up to check it out but the phone suddenly rang. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Who could be calling at this hour?" She picked up the phone. "Hello?" She paused listening. "Is that so?" She said, annoyance clearly present in her voice. A thud was heard from upstairs. She looked up as she listened to the person on the other end. "Well, I'll take care of it. I'm sorry for any trouble they caused. Goodbye." She put the phone back on the hook with force.

Henry could tell she was mad. "Who was that? What happened?"

"We'll let them do the explaining." She said as she marched up the stairs, Henry in toe. She burst through Cora's bedroom door and gasped at the condition her room was in.

"What the hell are you two doing up here?" Regina yelled putting her hands on her hips.

"Just a quick magic lesson before bed." Cora said smiling with her hands behind her back.

"Last I checked, magic doesn't sound like an elephant is about to fall through the floor." Regina shot back.

"We'll be quieter." Mandy promised.

Regina ignored her. "Explain to me why marriages are ending and Snow was seen talking to animals?" She demanded.

Cora shrugged her shoulders. "You'll have to ask Snow about that one, dear."

"Mother, I know it was you two. People saw you." Regina yelled.

"We were only having fun." Mandy said defending their reason for doing it.

"I'm surprised at you, Miranda. I thought you knew better." Regina said glaring at her.

Her glare would've frightened many people but not Mandy. "Sorry for having a good time. I'll make sure I'm miserable from now on." She said sarcastically.

"Go you your room, Miranda. I'll deal with you later." Regina said sternly as she gritted her teeth.

Mandy stormed out of the room. She knocked into Henry on purpose and kept walking.

"Henry, why don't you get ready for bed. We'll finish the movie in the morning." Regina said leading him out of the room. Henry nodded and left.

* * *

He was angry at Mandy for ruining his night with Regina. He walked into her room without knocking,

"Get out Henry!" Mandy screamed when she saw who busted through the door.

"You couldn't let me have one night with Regina?" He yelled right back at her with as much anger as she had.

"I did. That's why I was with Cora the whole night!" She growled.

"But you got in trouble and ruined it! You know Cora just leads to trouble, you should've known better." He countered.

She couldn't believe she was being reprimanded by an 11 year old. "What the hell Henry, are you seriously giving me a lecture right now? It's not like we planned to get caught. Besides, you had years to be with Regina."

He relaxed a bit and grinned when he realized why she was acting like this. "You're jealous, aren't you?"

Mandy was caught off guard by the question but kept her icy tone. "Jealous of you?" She scoffed. "Get over yourself Henry."

"You _are_ jealous! I saw you staring at me and Regina when we were looking through the photo album. Just admit it, you're jealous!" He exclaimed.

Mandy was pissed. She stormed up to him, their faces inches apart. "I'm warning you Henry, get out of my room."

He didn't back down; he wasn't scared of her. "Why are you jealous of me and Regina?" He paused, waiting for her to answer. When she didn't, he answered for her. "Is it because we have so many memories together and she watched me grow up? You wish it was you?"

To her, it sounded like he was mocking her, rubbing it in her face that she didn't get the privilege to have her mom with her growing up but he didn't mean it like that at all. He could see the rage in her eyes and became a bit frightened. She forcefully pushed him out the door and slammed it.

* * *

"Mother, I leave you alone with Miranda for a few hours and you have to cause trouble!" Regina said angrily as she paced the floor in Cora's room.

"It was all in good fun Regina, relax." Cora retorted.

Regina stopped and turned towards Cora. "Relax? I can't relax. You are trying to change. You can't go shape-shifting into people causing trouble. I don't want people to think Miranda will turn out like us!" She said as Cora caught the worry in her voice.

"What do you mean 'turn out like us'?" Cora questioned arching an eyebrow and walking closer to Regina.

Regina sighed before her tone turned icy. "Everyone in town still thinks we are 'evil' and considering she's the daughter of the Evil Queen and the granddaughter of the Queen of Hearts, I think she has a reputation already."

"Do you think people won't come to her party because they're afraid of us?" Cora questioned. The party was the only thing she was worried about.

Regina shrugged her shoulders. "It's possible but you aren't getting out of this so easily, Mother! So what the hell happened to your room?"

Cora looked over the room. "Miranda was practicing her magic. It doesn't seem to be cooperating."

"I can tell." She said in a disapproving tone.

Cora waved her hand and the room was as neat as it was before Mandy accidentally destroyed it. "All better." She said smiling at Regina.

Regina rolled her eyes and her mother's smile. "Don't take her out again and cause trouble!" She warned.

"Or what, dear?" Cora asked keeping the smile on her face.

"Don't push me, mother." She said before leaving.

* * *

As soon as she stepped out of the room she saw Henry fall hard to the ground, right outside of Miranda's room followed by a door slamming.

"Henry?" She yelled down the hall concerned he had gotten hurt.

He quickly got to his feet and began walking towards her. "I'm fine, mom." He said as he heard the worry in her voice.

"What happened? I thought I told you to go to bed." Regina said when she reached Henry in the middle of the hall.

"I was just talking to Mandy." He replied.

"You were 'just talking'?" She questioned arching her eyebrows, not believing him.

He knew she wanted the truth. "It was more like screaming but I had a feeling it would be."

Regina sighed. She didn't realize having a teenager would be this tiring. "She's that mad?"

He cocked his head to one side. "Considering she shoved me out of her room when I accused her of being jealous, yea, I'd say she's mad."

"She shoved you?!" Regina asked surprised her daughter would do that, especially to Henry.

"Go easy on her." Henry begged.

"You know I don't tolerate fighting, Henry. And why did you accuse her of being jealous?"

Henry shrugged his shoulders. "It was just a guess but I think she's jealous of the relationship that you and I share."

Regina nodded. "I think I understand, Henry. Go to bed now, I'll take it from here." She kissed the top of his head before walking towards Mandy's room.

She knocked on the door. She thought she heard Mandy tell her to go away but she went in anyway.

Mandy was facing the window as she laid on her bed, scrunched into a ball. "I said go away." She said firmly before she sniffled.

"Honey, I need to talk to you." Regina said calmly.

"I don't want to talk to you right now so punish me and leave." Mandy said without turning away from the window. She didn't want to listen to what ever Regina had to say.

"I'm not here to punish you, dear." Regina said still as calm as before.

Mandy rolled over to look at her, tears stained on her cheeks. "You're not?" She was surprised Regina wasn't going to punish her.

Regina shook her head. "No, I'm not. I just want to talk to you."

Mandy sat up to prepare for the fight that was about to happen. "Cora and I were just having fun, okay? It didn't hurt you so why are you making a big deal out of this?" She hissed.

"It's not okay, Miranda. Cora should have never taught you how to shape-shift. You have to be on your best behavior."

Mandy stood up, walking around the bed closer to Regina. "Why? Why is it so important to you that I be _so_ good?"

"Because I don't want you to turn out like me!" She yelled.

"I won't turn out like you! It's not like everyone's calling me the 'Evil Princess'!" She yelled back. "I just wanted to have some fun…"

"And you thought tricking people would make you feel better?" Regina crossed her arms.

"Yea and you know what, it did! I had a good time with Cora tonight." Mandy shouted. "You thought getting revenge on Snow White would make _you_ feel better…so what's the difference?!"

"It didn't make me feel better." She screamed back.

Mandy stepped closer as she put her hands on her hips. "That's because it didn't work, the curse failed! _You_ failed!"

"You don't know the half of it, Miranda!"

"Then indulge me, mom."

"I'm not doing this right now. This is about you, not me!" Regina yelled pointing at her.

"Well I haven't done anything as bad as you. You killed hundreds of people!" She yelled.

"How do you know what I did? You were in a whole other land." Regina hissed.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Word travels, mom and I wasn't always in another land. I've heard some of the things you have done."

Regina looked hurt. "When I told you I was your mother, what was going through your mind? Were you ashamed to be the daughter of the Evil Queen?" She asked in a disappointed tone. She thought she already knew the answer.

Mandy noticed Regina's face and the change in her voice. She shook her head no. "I was too shocked to learn I had found my mother. It didn't hit me until later that you were the Evil Queen. I've killed people too, but for completely different reasons then your own. I'm not saying mine were justified, just different."

Regina frowned. "I just don't want people to treat you badly. I know what that's like, it's not pretty."

"I've been treated badly most of my life, nothing new there. I'm used to it. Whatever crap they say about me, I can handle it." She said trying to make Regina understand that she can take care of herself.

"You don't always have to put up a wall and act like nothing's bothering you. You can put your guard down. I can tell when something's on your mind." Regina argued.

"You didn't early." She mumbled.

"Is this about what Henry said about you being jealous?" She asked arching her eyebrows.

"He would go and tell you! He's such a little nark" She hissed.

Regina sighed. "Just tell me what's going on. Why would he say that if it isn't true?"

"To create drama." Mandy said as an excuse.

"He said you were jealous of our relationship. If you are, it's completely understandable." Regina said trying to get Mandy to open up to her.

"I'm not jealous." She said turning her back to Regina as she crossed her arms.

Regina walked up behind her. "Honey, I would've loved to raise you and watch you grow up. I feel the same way you do." She put a hand on Mandy's shoulder.

She shook it off and mumbled, "Whatever."

She was hurt Mandy pushed her away but she wasn't surprised. "Is this why you pushed Henry?"

Mandy quickly turned around and yelled, "He wouldn't get out of my room after I told him too. He's lucky my magic isn't working well or he would've been out of this house faster than he could say 'Once Upon A Time'."

"You will not use magic on him. EVER!" Regina snapped at her.

Mandy put her hands on her hips as the anger built up inside her. "Why? _You_ have! You freakin poisoned him for goodness sake!"

"That was never meant for him!" She shot back

"Whatever you tell yourself to sleep at night." Mandy muttered under her breath.

Regina put her hand on her head. She couldn't believe she was having this conversation with her. "Miranda, why are you acting like this?"

Mandy wasn't answering anymore questions. She didn't feel like fighting with Regina anymore, she just wanted her to go. "I think you should go before we say anything we'll later regret."

Regina wanted to end the fight but she realized this one would have to be continued. "We are talking about this tomorrow, you can count on that!"

**I was really unsure how this chapter was going to play out but this was the end result. Let me know what you think. I love the reviews.**


	31. Chapter 31Hanging Out with Emma

**Italics are Mandy's thoughts. I also thought Mandy needed a break from Regina so she's spending a little time with someone else.**

Chapter 31: Hanging Out With Emma

Mandy needed some space from Regina. She snuck out of the house early that morning so she didn't have to deal with her or Henry. She texted Emma the night before and asked if she could meet her by the docks the next morning. Emma wanted to talk to her too so she agreed to meet her. Mandy was already sitting on a bench when Emma came up and sat by her side.

"Hey kid." Emma said handing her a cup. Mandy looked confused. "I didn't think you liked coffee so I brought you some hot chocolate. It's a bit chilly this morning and I need to wake up."

"Thanks, Emma. I appreciate it." Mandy said smiling.

"So…where do you want to begin?" She asked taking a sip of her coffee. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be having this conversation but she wanted to help Mandy.

"Well I wanted to know how you handled the abuse when you were younger." Mandy replied not making eye contact with Emma. She knew this was a difficult conversation to have, with anyone. "I understand if you don't want to tell me."

"No, I'll tell you just don't go around repeating it to anyone." Emma replied.

Mandy shook her head. "I would never. I hope you would do the same for me."

Emma nodded. "…I was moved around to different foster homes but only some were bad so the abuse wasn't constant. I'm guessing yours was more frequent?"

"Yea, pretty much."

Emma patted her knee to get her to look up at her. "Well I try not to think about it. I try to remember the good times I had with a few foster families rather than the bad ones."

"But what happens when something makes you remember those horrible times?"

Emma contemplated her question for a moment before answering. "I let the memory run its course. I'm in a bad mood for a little while but it eventually passes. It helps to think about the life I have now, the family I'm a part of.

Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "I guess that's a good idea. I mean if it works and all."

"Listen Mandy." Emma said getting the young girl's attention. "I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. We have endured a shitty childhood and I'm sure there will be shitty times ahead, but we can get through it."

"How?" Mandy asked doubtfully.

"Well you can always talk to me but there are plenty of people who would help you if you'd ask. It doesn't help to keep things all bottled up, if something is bothering you, you need to address the situation."

"Is that what you do?" She asked wondering if Emma actually practiced what she preached.

Emma knew she was being a hypocrite if she told her she did. "I try my best, but it doesn't always work out."

"I see." She said putting her head down.

"I didn't say it was going to be easy, Mandy. It's tough getting over something like that, it still is for me. I don't think it's something we will ever get over but we can damn well try."

For some reason this made Mandy smile. It meant that she didn't have to go through this alone; she had Emma on her side. "That actually helps."

Emma sighed with relief. "Thank god! I thought I was just rambling, not making any sense at all."

Mandy laughed. "No, you're more help then you realize." She said before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Emma smiled. She was happy she helped Mandy, even if it was just a little bit. "So what happened last night? I heard you and Cora got into some trouble."

Mandy looked up at her in surprise. "How did you find _that_ out?!"

"Henry called me before he went to bed. You and Regina went at it, huh?" Emma asked already knowing the answer.

"He heard our fight?"

"He wasn't eavesdropping if that's what you're thinking. He said you two were screaming at each other."

"Yea, it really got heated. That was one of the first arguments that I had with her." She said staring out into the bay.

Emma tapped her on her shoulder. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

She turned to face her. "Henry didn't tell you?" She asked surprised.

"He mentioned a few things but we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

She looked back out into the bay and took a moment before answering. "He said I was jealous of his relationship with Regina."

"Well are you?"

She turned back to Emma. "Yes, but I wasn't going to admit it to him."

Emma laughed. "Fair enough."

"Regina raised Henry from when he was a baby. He got to do everything with her." She complained.

"It should've been you." Emma finished her thought.

She nodded. "Yea, I mean aren't you jealous? Regina got to fill your spot. You should've watched Henry grow up. You don't feel anything against her?"

"I'm a little jealous but it was my choice to give up Henry. I wasn't fit to be a mother back then but I know what you mean. They share something together that we never will with them."

"I'm not mad at Henry, I'm just mad he got to be with Regina and not me. I wouldn't have had the shitty childhood I had if I was with Regina." Mandy argued.

Emma sighed. She knew how Mandy felt, at least from a mother's perspective. "You can't keep thinking about the 'what ifs', that's what's hurting you the most. You need to focus on the 'what is' and focus on the present."

"It's a little hard when I see Regina and Henry together and thinking that could've been me."

"I get it, I do. I think about what it would be like if Snow and Charming got to raise me, what my life would've been like but it just puts me in a dark place. We wouldn't be the people we are today if it weren't for the things that happened to us in the past."

"Maybe it would be a good thing to not be the people we are today." Mandy replied.

Emma nodded. "That may be, but we can't change it."

Mandy looked down to her hands in her lap. "I know."

"We have more in common then I realized." Emma said staring off into the distance.

"Like what?" Mandy asked looking up at her.

"We were both abandoned as a baby, grew up with abusive foster parents, are jealous of Regina and Henry, somehow we are family related, it's hard for us to open up to people, our parents wanted us but couldn't keep us, hate wearing dresses and we both have some sort of magical connection."

Mandy's jaw dropped. "Wow that _is_ a lot."

"It's all I can think of for right now, but it's a good amount."

"That's the one thing we both share that no one can take away-our magical connection." She said smiling up at Emma.

"At least we have one good thing in common." Emma said smiling back.

"Thank you, Emma. For everything." She said grasping Emma's hand and squeezing it tight. They both felt a sudden rush of magic flow through them and a bright like emanated from their hands. They instantly pulled away from one another, scared of what had just happened.

"What the hell was that?" Emma shrieked.

"I think we just made magic, although it was unintentional." It was the only logical explanation she could come up with.

"Did we do anything?" She asked looking around making sure everything was the same.

"I don't think so. It felt comforting more than menacing." Mandy answered. "Did you get hurt?"

Emma looked at her hands. "No, I don't think so. Do you know what's going on?"

Mandy shook her head. "I don't really know much about the connection we have, but I know someone who does…" Her voice trailing off.

"Gold." Emma said knowing who she was talking about. Mandy nodded in confirmation. "He's gonna want something though."

"Well there's no harm in asking. We can see what he wants. If it's not reasonable, then we don't agree to make the deal." Mandy suggested.

Emma agreed. "Seems reasonable enough."

"We can go after my session, if you're free."

"Yea, I'm off today."

"Oh cool, wanna go get something to eat at Granny's then? I didn't eat yet and I'm starving." Mandy said covering her growling stomach with her hand.

Emma stood. "Sounds good to me. I'm always up for a good meal." They began walking back to Emma's car.

"If we keep eating, we'll never fit into our dresses for the ball." Mandy joked.

A smirk came across Emma's face. "Maybe that's a good thing."

* * *

Emma drove them back to the diner. They sat at a booth as Granny handed them two menus. Ruby came up to them a few minutes later and took their order.

"I'll have French toast please, with a glass of orange juice." Emma said.

"Umm, I'll have apple pancakes with a side of milk please." Mandy said closing her menu and handing it to Ruby.

"You would order something with apples in it." Emma said smiling.

Mandy shrugged. "I like apples."

"Yea, so does your mother." Emma said with a smirk.

"Is that it?" Ruby asked.

"Actually Ruby, I wanted to apologize for what Cora and I did to you last night. It was a bad joke at your expense. I'm so sorry." Mandy said genuinely.

"I forgive you." Ruby said back.

"You do? That easily?" Mandy asked shocked.

Ruby nodded. "Just don't turn out like Regina or Cora."

Emma shot her a look. "Like evil?" Mandy questioned.

"Yea, you seem like a nice girl who's just confused right now."

Mandy put her head down. "Well, I'm really sorry."

Ruby noticed Mandy was hurt a little by what she said. "It wasn't that bad of a joke…it was actually quite comical once you knew what was going on."

"You knew it was Cora?" Mandy asked surprised.

"Not at first, but I caught on after a while and started playing her little game." Ruby smirked.

Mandy laughed. "That makes it even better!"

Ruby laughed. "I better get back to work before Granny yells at me."

Once Ruby was gone, Emma decided to make small talk. "So what was Neverland like?"

Mandy was thrilled to talk about Neverland. She did miss it more than she thought she would. "Neverland was full of adventure and a lot of fun, but it was also full of dangerous creatures."

Emma arched her eyebrows. "Dangerous creatures? Like what?"

"Well, as you know, Neverland is a huge island." She said making hand gestures to try and describe the island. "It's mostly jungle so there are a lot of bird threats."

"How could a bird be a threat?" Emma said not believing her.

"Harpies, are creatures with the bodies of birds but the heads and torsos of women. There are also Stymphalian Birds. They are man-eating birds with beaks of bronze and sharp metallic feathers that they can shoot at their victims." Mandy said describing the two deadly birds that inhabited the island.

"Are there any nice birds?"

Mandy nodded. "A phoenix."

"Just one?"

"Yes, but they have healing powers and scares off all other types of birds so your safe if he's around." She said reassuring Emma that this bird could do a lot even though there was only one.

"Just one bird to ward off all those other ones, that sounds a bit crazy. Did you stay indoors the entire time?" Emma asked wondering what they did every day.

Mandy shook her head. "Oh no, we were out almost every day. It's a big island, you don't always run into them. You don't want to be out at night though."

"And why is that?"

"Because the manticore only comes out at night." She said like Emma should know that.

"The what?" Emma asked not hearing the word before.

"The manticore." Mandy repeated. "It has the body of a lion, the face of a man and the sting of a scorpion. There's only one of them but no one has yet to kill it."

"I thought Neverland was supposed to be fun. Full of fairies and mermaids and some pirates." She said remembering the stories of Peter Pan, none of which included killer birds and a beast.

"Oh there are plenty of all three. Although the mermaids aren't too friendly. They only take a liking to certain people."

"And what happens when they don't like you?"

Mandy shrugged. "They drown you, or try to at least."

Emma saw Ruby coming out with their food. "Oh would ya look at that, our food's here." She didn't think Neverland would be that crazy. She wouldn't have brought it up if she knew there were that many stories Mandy had from there.

"Here you are." Ruby said as she set the food down in front of them and then took a seat next to Emma.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked eyeing the waitress next to her.

"I'm on break and I thought I would sit with you two." Ruby said cheerfully.

"The more the merrier!" Mandy said before taking a sip of her milk.

"So are you excited about your party?" Ruby asked Mandy.

Mandy's face lit up. "Yes, I can't wait! Are you coming?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course! Just got our invitation this morning. I heard _everyone's_ invited."

"Yea, you can thank Snow for that…" Mandy said trailing off.

"Not surprised. She likes to include everyone. Do we really have to get all dressed up though?" Ruby asked.

Mandy put her hand up. "I already tried to change that but I was out numbered."

"I also tried as well but got shot down, so ball gowns it is." Emma added as she stuffed her face.

"I guess I better start shopping then…" Ruby said.

"Oh it absolutely sucks!" Mandy said sighing. "But I hope _you_ have fun." She quickly added.

"Well that doesn't sound promising…" Ruby said.

"Well Emma and I have these really big gowns that our mothers made us get but I'm sure you can get something you like."

Ruby thought for a moment. "I can think of a few dresses I want."

"Are you gonna get a big ball gown like us?" Emma asked.

"Hell no. I want something tight, form fitting." Ruby answered.

"That sounds more like you." Emma said.

Mandy's mind wondered elsewhere while Emma and Ruby were talking. "Do people think I'm evil?" Mandy asked them out of the blue.

Emma and Ruby both looked startled by the question. They looked at Mandy, then at each other before looking back to Mandy. "Ugh…Well…um..." Emma always seemed to fumble with her words.

Ruby jumped in when she noticed Emma was having trouble answering. "Look, Mandy. I'm going to be honest with you. There's been a lot of talk around town…you being the daughter of the Evil Queen and all."

"But she's not evil anymore." Mandy protested.

Ruby rocked her head back and forth. "That's debatable."

"No its not." Mandy said quickly defending her mother.

"Ruby…" Emma said shooting her a look to tell her to knock it off.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Well they were unsure about you at first but after you saved all those kids they knew you weren't like Regina, or Cora for that matter."

"But they don't really know me at all. How can they judge someone without even knowing them?" Mandy shot back.

Ruby shrugged her shoulders. "We all do it."

"So people like me now?" Mandy questioned.

Ruby nodded. "Yea, and everyone I talked to today is going to your party."

_I can't believe Regina was right about people hating me for being related to her and Cora. I hate when other people are right. I'm happy people are actually coming though. _Mandy looked at her phone. "I gotta get going."

Ruby smirked. "Meeting someone?"

"You could say that." She responded. She didn't want to tell people she was in therapy. Only a few people knew and she wanted to keep it that way. "Oh Emma. Could you tell Snow I'm sorry for making her look crazy for talking to animals?"

Emma laughed. "Yea, I'll tell her."

"Thanks, see ya later." She said before walking out the door.

She had just reached the end of the walkway when she bumped into someone. "Oh. I'm sorry." She looked up and saw who it was.

"Jake, what are you doing here?" She asked surprised to see him.

He laughed. "Nice to see you too." He joked. "I'm here to meet my mother for lunch, what about you?"

_I can't tell him about therapy, he'll think I'm crazy. "_I was just getting something to eat."

"By yourself?"

Mandy shook her head. "No, I was with Emma cuz…we're friends and stuff." _Friends and stuff? I'm so stupid._

"I didn't realize you and Emma were friends. I thought your families hated each other."

"My mother and her mother don't get along but Emma and I don't really have a problem." She responded.

"Interesting." He said nodding his head. "So what did you two talk about?"

"My party mostly." She said smiling.

"That reminds me. I have to ask you something."

"Oh, you could've just texted me." Mandy said smiling stupidly at him.

"I wanted to ask you in person." He answered softly.

"Oh okay. What's up?"

"Would you like to go to the ball with me…well your ball?" He said laughing.

She laughed also. _I can't believe he asked me. What should I say? If I say yes, does that mean I'm forgetting Peter? But if I say no, then I might hurt his feelings. I don't like him so what's the harm. Answer him already! _"I'd love too!"

Jake exhaled loudly. "You made me nervous for a sec."

Mandy giggled. "Sorry, I had a million thoughts running through my head." _Why did you say that? He's going to think you had second thoughts._

"All good I hope!" Jake said flashing a handsome smile.

_Maybe I do like him. _"All good, no worries." She confirmed smiling back at him.

Jake moved a little closer to her. "Well I'm glad I ran into you, literally."

She laughed. "Me too." She said looking up into his eyes. They made eye contact for a moment but looked away when they realized they were staring at one another.

"I better get going, my mom's waiting." He finally said.

Mandy looked down at her feet. "Right, yea you should do that."

He took one of her hands in his as they made eye contact one last time. "I'll text you later, maybe we can hang out soon."

She nodded looking into his bright blue eyes. _He has gorgeous eyes. _"I'd like that."

"I'll talk to you later." He said looking over her features one last time before letting her hand slip from his own as he turned to walk into the diner.

She slowly began to walk across the street. She made sure he was in the diner before she walked into Dr. Hopper's office with a smile on her face. She was slowly falling for him, something she thought would never happen.

**So I hope you all liked this chapter. How would you all feel about a group therapy session with Mandy,Regina, Emma, Snow, Cora, Charming, Henry, Gold, and Neal? I need help deciding to do it or not. Let me know what you all think and suggestions are welcome!**


	32. Chapter 32 A Memory Forgotten

Chapter 32: A Memory Forgotten

Archie greeted Mandy when she knocked on the door for her session.

"Hey, Archie!" She said cheerfully as she took a seat on the couch.

"You seem like you're in a good mood." He said pulling her file from his cabinet.

"I am. It's been a good day so far and I'm hoping you don't ruin it by making me talk about the past."

"I don't plan to but that's kinda why you're here, so you can get over your past." He sat down and opened her file.

"Archie, I hate harping on the past. It just brings up bad memories that I would rather forget." She crossed her arms and looked down at her lap.

"I heard you and Regina had a fight last night." He said changing the subject slightly.

"How the hell does everybody know that?"

"Regina called and told me what happened. She's concerned about you." Archie informed.

"Why is she concerned?"

"She thinks there's something going on, something you're not telling her. She just wants to understand you fully but she can't do that if you won't let her in."

Mandy shrugged. "She doesn't have to know everything. Some things are better left unsaid."

"Like what?"

"Again, better left unsaid."

"Miranda, you need to start trusting me. You keep this wall up…you don't want to let anyone in."

Mandy frowned. "Regina said something like that last night."

"Can we try something?" Archie asked hoping she would say yes.

"And what would that be?"

"Hypnosis."

"But I wouldn't know what I said to you." She argued.

"It will be like you're sleeping. It also might make it easier to talk about what's really bothering you."

Mandy didn't feel like fighting with Archie anymore so she agreed to do it. She laid down on the couch as Archie put her to sleep. He brought her back to when she was 4,that was the first time she was hit. He then moved on to when she was 7.

* * *

**Flashback In Mandy's head.**

Corinne was busy trying to get dinner on the table before Mr. Rnadell came home. According to Mrs. Randell, she was old enough to make dinner. Jackson kept bothering her, trying to make her spill something so she would get in trouble. He knocked into her while she was holding a pot of hot water in her hands. He wanted it to spill on her but it backfired and landed on his arm instead. He screamed in pain as the hot water burned his arm.

"I'm sorry!" Corinne said quickly even though it wasn't her fault.

"Mom!" He screamed.

"No, please! Don't call your mother. I didn't mean to spill it on you. I'll clean your arm up and the mess, just don't call her." She begged.

"You're gonna get 20 lashes for this!" He warned.

"No, please! I'll do anything you want, just don't tell."

"Did you need me Jackson?" Mrs. Randell asked on the far side of the kitchen.

He hid his arm behind his back. "No mother. I found what I was looking for."

Mrs. Randell nodded. "Very well then. Hurry along with dinner, girl. Mr. Randell will be home soon and he doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Corinne bowed her head. "Yes, ma'am." She left.

She looked back at Jackson. "Thanks for not telling."

"You still owe me." He glared at her. Corinne nodded.

"If my parents ask where I am tonight, you tell them I'm at Mason's cottage. Gotta it?"

"What are you up too?"

"Do you want me to call my mom back down here?" He threatened.

"No, no. I'll do it."

"Great. Now fix my arm." He demanded extending his arm to Corinne.

Corinne tried her best to cover for Jackson when he didn't return that night but she was never good at lying. They caught her and now she was in trouble with them and Jackson. When Jackson came home the next morning, he was in trouble. He was so mad at Corinne for getting him in trouble so he told his parents about the burn incident. She received 30 lashes, 15 for lying and another 15 for burning Jackson.

She laid down on the floor of her room, which just happened to be the supply closest as well. She laid on her stomach because her back hurt too much from the 30 lashes she received earlier that day. Someone opened her door and shut it quickly.

She looked up to see who it was. "What the hell was that earlier?" Jackson said in a loud whisper.

"I'm sorry. I tried but they didn't believe my story."

"I can't go out for a week because of you!"

"Sounds like they went easy on you."

"I have things to do. I can't be sitting in this stupid house."

"I guess you shouldn't have went out last night." She said glaring back at him. "Now, get out! I would like to get some sleep before I have to make breakfast for you and your stupid family." She put her head back down on the small pillow she had a shut her eyes.

Jackson became enraged. He flipped her onto her back and held her wrists down. She winced in pain as pressure was applied to the cuts on her back. Corinne looked up at him with fear in her eyes. She never saw him like this before. He threw off the thin blanket she was covered with and hoisted up her night gown.

"What are you doing? Stop! Stop it! Let go of me!" She yelled trying to fight him off.

Jackson shook her violently so she would stop screaming and moving. "If you make one more sound or tell anyone about this, I _will_ kill you." He threatened. She didn't say anything after that. She didn't fight back as he forced himself onto her. She whimpered every time he thrusted into her. He left her alone after a few minutes and went to sleep peacefully. She cried quietly the rest of the night, scrunched up into a ball.

Before the sun rose, she snuck out of the house. She couldn't believe what happened the night before. _How could Jackson do that to me?_ She knew he was mean and would do anything to get her in trouble but she never thought he would do that. She just kept running, getting deeper and deeper into the woods. She was going to run away, far away from the people that tortured her. When she finally stopped running, she took a seat on a rock trying to catch her breath. She became enraged as she remembered the events of last night. It was on replay in her head. She wished it never happened. She threw down her hands in frustration and noticed the grass below her feet turn brown.

"What just happened?" She asked herself, her face clearly fearful of what she just did.

She threw out her hands again, this time towards a bird that was perched on a tree branch. It fell instantly. When she walked over to it, she saw it was dead. She looked down at her hands. "I have magic." She said in disbelief.

Her attention quickly shifted when she heard two people somewhat shouting. They were heading in her direction so she hid behind a tree. A little girl about 5 was being dragged by an older man.

"I don't wanna go. Please don't make me!" The little girl begged.

"You have to. Now stop being a baby." The older man yelled.

"No, I'm not going." The little girl stomped her feet.

The man raised his hand as if he was going to hit her. Corinne knew what it felt like to be hit and she didn't want this little girl to go through the same thing she did. She quickly jumped out from her hiding spot and threw her hands in his direction, knocking him down instantly.

The little girl was scared and shocked. "What did you do?" She yelled kneeling down next to the man.

"I saved you. You're welcome." Corinne said proudly.

"What?" The girl questioned.

"He was dragging you somewhere you didn't want to go and he was about to hit you."

"My father would never hit me!" She screamed.

"Your father?"

"He was bringing me to my grandmother's, I was just being stubborn and wanted to stay with him."

"I'm sorry." She said before putting her head down. "I thought he was going to hurt you."

The little girl began crying. "Is he gonna wake up?"

"I…I...don't think so." Corinne said sorrowfully.

"You killed my father?!" She screamed.

A rush of guilt ran over her. "I'm so so sorry!"

The little girl cried even harder over her father's lifeless body. Corinne panicked and started to run. She couldn't believe she just killed someone or that she had magic. She wanted to forget about the last two days. She heard a voice come from the woods around her.

She stopped running. "Who's there?" She screamed into the open woods.

"Just me, dearie." A man stepped out from behind a tree.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"A friend." He said cheerfully.

"What do you want?" She asked cautiously.

"Why, to help you of course."

"Help me how?"

"You want to forget, dearie. Isn't that right?"

"But…how…"

"How did I know?" She nodded. He giggled making a shiver run up Corinne's spine. "I know everything, dearie. You killed that man because you didn't want the same fate for that little girl as you have. You have magic that you don't know how to control."

"How do I forget all of that? I don't want magic. I don't like killing people, it's not nice." She said meekly.

Rumple held out his hand as purple smoke surrounded it. A tiny bottle appeared when the smoke dissipated. "Drink this, and you will forget everything that happened in the past 48 hours. You won't remember having magic, killing someone, or anything else _unpleasant_ you wish to forget."

"I don't have any money to offer you."

"Oh, I don't want money dearie."

"Then what _do_ you want?"

"Let's just say, I'm invested in your future." He dangled the bottle in front of her.

She didn't know what that meant but she was desperate to forget. She grabbed the bottle from his hand. "You won't remember meeting me so.." He bowed. "Until we meet again." He disappeared in a cloud of red smoke. She quickly drank the potion. It took a moment but she soon forgot everything that had happened recently. She looked around, wondering how she got so far into the woods. She had no idea so she headed back to the Randell's cottage like nothing ever happened.

**End Flashback**

* * *

Archie gently shook Mandy awake. She quickly sat up, her eyes wide. She couldn't believe what she remembered.

"Mandy, what happened? What do you remember?" Archie asked when Mandy awoke.

She was hoping she didn't say anything to revealing to Archie while she was sleeping. "What did I say?" She asked nervously.

"You said 'Don't tell', 'Stop', 'Let go of me'. Then you began crying and kept saying, 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to'. So what happened?"

"I have to go!" She quickly said before running out of the office.

"Miranda! Miranda wait!" Archie screamed after her.

Mandy ran out of Archie's office as quickly as she could. _I have to get away, forget all of this._ _No one can know what happened back then. _Emma was just about to get into her car when she saw Mandy coming out of Archie's. She yelled after her but she was ignored. She figured she was in a hurry to get home. When Archie came out moments later, she knew something was up.

"Archie, what's going on?" Emma yelled from across the street.

"Emma!" He yelled before running over to her. "Have you seen Mandy?"

"Yea, you just missed her. I tried to stop her but she just kept running. Is something wrong?" Emma asked.

"She might've remembered something from her past, something she clearly wanted to stay hidden."

"Does Regina know?"

"I just informed her moments ago."

"Alright, I'll go talk to Regina." She said getting into her car.

"She's a bit stubborn. I don't know if she'll accept your help."

"Won't be the first time." She said before driving off.

* * *

She pulled up outside of the Mills Mansion, bracing herself for the confrontation she expected to have with the brunette. She walked up the walkway and knocked on the door. Regina was quick to answer, hoping it would be Mandy but was disappointed when she saw Emma.

"Are you here to pick up Henry?"

"Actually no. I heard about Mandy and wanted to help."

"News travels fast I see. No matter, your help is neither wanted nor needed."

"Look Regina, I know we have a complicated relationship but are you really going to let that get in the way of Mandy's well-being?" She asked her voice rising.

Regina walked back in the house, leaving the door open. Emma assumed that was her way of inviting her in so she did and shut the door behind her.

"And how do you propose to help, Emma?"

Emma followed the sound of her voice into the living room. "Well, where do you think she went?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be here talking to you now would I?" She snapped.

"Regina, enough with the snide remarks! I'm on your side."

"What's going on?" Henry asked walking into the living room.

"Henry, not now. Could you just go to your room?" Emma asked sounding a little aggravated.

Henry wasn't expecting to be sent to his room by Emma, Regina maybe, but not Emma.

"Maybe I can help." He offered.

"Kid, please." Emma pleaded with him as she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Fine." He said reluctantly running up to his room.

"Why do you care what happens to Miranda? She's not your daughter."

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "I'd do it for any kid, and she's startin to grow on me."

"Are you going to steal another child away from me?"

"Regina, why can't you accept the fact that someone wants to help you without having an ulterior motive?" Emma shouted.

"Because everyone has their own agenda!" She snapped.

"I don't want anything to happen to her and I'm sure you feel the same way." Emma argued.

Regina took a moment to compose herself and lower her tone so she wasn't shouting anymore. "Why were you talking to her earlier?"

"What..?" Emma asked feeling blind-sided by the question.

"Henry told me you were meeting her this morning. What was it about?" She wanted to know.

"She just wanted to talk, that's all." Emma said waving off the question.

"She was going to Archie to talk." Regina snapped.

"She didn't feel comfortable talking about a few things." Emma said truthfully.

"And she felt comfortable with you?" She asked doubtfully arching her eyebrows.

Emma nodded. "Yea, we have a lot in common and it's easier to talk to me about some things."

"What could you two possibly have in common?" Regina scoffed.

"A lot more than you'd think."

"Which is..?" Regina asked wanting to know more.

"If she wants to talk to you about it she will, but we need to find her first." Emma said not wanting to tell Regina any part of their conversation earlier.

"Emma, I need to know what's going on with my daughter. I want to help her through whatever it is she is going through." Emma could see the desperation in her eyes. She did promise Mandy that she wouldn't repeat anything but Regina new about the abuse already and she didn't see the harm in filling Regina in a little bit. "It was mostly about the abuse she endured. She was just having a hard time dealing with it."

"You were abused?" Regina asked.

Emma felt uncomfortable at Regina's realization. "Regina, we need to find Mandy before she does something." She wanted to get off the topic as quickly as she could.

Regina got her answer when Emma avoided answering her question. "Okay." She agreed with Emma.

"Well Archie told me she might've remembered something that happened to her, something traumatic." Emma said.

"He made it sound like she was fighting someone off…" Her eyes grew wide. "You don't think someone attacked her, do you?"

Emma thought the same thing but didn't want to confirm Regina's theory. "I don't know. But I have a feeling she's going to want to forget. Could a potion do that?" Emma asked since she knew basically nothing about magic.

Regina nodded. "We need to visit Gold."

* * *

Regina and Emma entered Gold's shop quickly, to find no one in the shop.

"Gold!" Emma screamed.

"What are you two doing here, together?" Gold questioned when he appeared from the back room.

"Has Miranda come here looking for a potion to help her forget something?" Regina asked.

"Not lately, why do you ask?"

"She remembered something horrible and now she wants to forget." Emma said.

"What do you mean, 'not lately'?" Regina asked catching on to Gold's little word play.

"Just a figure of speech, dearie."

"No, there's something else. Spit it out Gold!" Regina demanded.

"Maybe he doesn't know anything." Emma suggested.

"You're starting to catch on, Regina." Gold smiled wickedly.

"What do you know?" Regina asked angrily.

"You may not want to hear this story, Regina. Miranda has suffered a lot more than you know." Gold warned.

"No, I'm her mother. I want to know everything about my daughter. Tell me." Regina commanded.

Gold nodded. "Very well. Your precious daughter had been abused form a very young age."

"Yes, I already know that." Regina said quickly.

"Not just physically and emotionally." Gold added.

Regina's eyes grew wide when she realized what Gold was saying. "You mean..?"

Gold nodded. "She was 7 when the older boy in the house took advantage of her. She was going to run away but she then realized she had magic. She killed a man to help out a little girl but it turned out to be the little girl's father. She couldn't live with herself. So that's where I stepped in. I gave her a potion to forget the past 48 hours. Something must have reawakened those memories."

Regina's heart sank. The things her daughter had to go through, alone, pained her. She should've been there to protect her.

"Why did you help her?" Emma asked.

"No child should have to endure such abuse." He said.

Regina shook her head in disbelief. "Why did you wait years to train her when you could've started then?"

Gold shrugged his shoulders. "It simply wasn't the time."

"You're reprehensible! You could've taken her away from that horrible place. You could've given her back to me!" Regina screamed.

Gold leaned closer to her face and squinted his eyes. "It wasn't in the cards." Regina was so angry with him she was lost for words. She stormed out leaving Emma in the shop.

"I can give you a potion to help her forget." Gold offered Emma. "No charge of course."

"Fine, but make it for 24 hours." Gold nodded and quickly returned with the bottle. "She's going to the town line to forget everything."

"And how do you know that?" Emma asked.

"It's the easiest thing to do when you don't have anything else on your mind except forgetting your past. You better hurry, Miss Swan."

Emma ran out of the shop as quick as she could to find Regina waiting in the car for her. She got in the front seat and began driving off.

"Where are we going?" Regina asked.

"Gold thinks she's at the town line." Emma said keeping her eyes on the road.

"If she crosses the line she won't remember me. I can't lose her again, I just got her back. We need to get to her quickly! I need to talk to her." Regina said nervously thinking about the worst possible scenario.

"I realize that, Regina. Why do you think I'm going well above the speed limit!" Emma shot back.

* * *

Mandy was sitting inches away from the town line contemplating her decision to cross the line or not. _If I cross the line I won't remember all the painful memories that haunt me but that means I won't remember Regina. _She was too deep in thought that she didn't hear the car pull up behind her.

"Miranda?" Regina said softly from a distance.

Mandy was startled by the sudden mention of her name. She quickly got to her feet and spun around. "What are you two doing here?!" She asked angrily.

"To stop you from crossing the line." Emma said quickly.

"I just want to be left alone!" She screamed.

"We can't do that." Emma said.

"Just go away! I don't want to talk to either one of you!"

"Miranda, we know what happened to you when you were younger." Regina said calmly although she was heartbroken for her daughter.

Mandy felt a lump in her throat. "Know what?"

"Honey, I know what Jackson did to you when you were 7. I'm _so_ sorry I wasn't there to protect you." Regina saw the tears beginning to fall from Mandy's dark brown eyes and wanted to hug her daughter but she knew Miranda was dangerously close to the town line. She didn't want to risk anything so she remained still.

The last thing she wanted was for Regina to find out what happened when she was 7. "I didn't want you to find out!" Mandy cried.

"It's not your fault, kid." Emma added trying to calm Mandy down although it didn't help.

"I just want to forget everything!" She screamed.

"And you can…" Emma said. "If you drink this!" She pulled out the potion bottle Gold gave her.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Gold gave it to you before to help you forget. This one will let you forget the past 24 hours." Emma said.

"Give it to me!" Mandy commanded.

"On two conditions!" Emma said. Regina looked at her funny and Mandy didn't say anything at all. "Come here, away from the town line…"

"And?" Mandy asked without moving.

"You talk to Regina before you drink this. You two have some things to sort out." Emma said.

"No we don't!" Mandy screamed.

"The last time you talked to her you were fighting. I'm sure you can find something to talk about." Emma said.

"I could just cross the line and forget everything…" She threatened.

Regina took a few steps closer. "Please don't sweetie! I know this is painful for you to remember your past, but I can't lose you again." Regina said trying to convince her daughter not to do it.

"Do you really want to forget everything? You'd forget about the time you spent with Regina, and Jake. I saw you talking to him earlier. Is that what you want?" Emma asked.

Mandy lowered her head, thinking about what Emma had just said.

"Miranda, please!" Regina pleaded.

Mandy could see the fear and desperation in her mother's eyes. She didn't want to hurt her; she's been hurt way too much. She thought about the fight she had with Regina earlier and how stupid it was in the first place. She slowly began walking towards her. She was scared what Regina was going to do, if she was mad or not. The only thing Regina did was hug her and sighed in relief when she held her daughter.

"Thank you." She whispered in Mandy's ear.

Mandy hugged her tighter, not wanting to let go. "I told him to stop but he wouldn't. He hurt me." She sobbed into Regina's shoulder.

"He can't hurt you anymore. I've got you, you're safe." Regina stroked her daughter's hair trying to calm her down.

It took a few moments before she was ready to talk again. "I'm sorry…for fighting with you, giving you a hard time, making you worry about me….just everything." Mandy said looking up at Regina. "You were right…about people not liking me because I'm the daughter of the Evil Queen. I should've listened to you."

"I'm sorry too. I didn't want to be right, especially about that."

Mandy shook her head. "I shouldn't have gotten mad at Henry, it wasn't his fault anyway. I let my emotions get the best of me and I said things I didn't mean."

"As did I. But you're allowed to be angry or jealous or sad about things or situations, just talk to me next time." Regina begged.

"I will. I should've told you everything when I found out you were my mom. You were just so amazing and I didn't want you to find out about my past. I was afraid you wouldn't want me…" Mandy said not making eye contact with Regina.

"I will always want you, no matter what you did or do in the future." She said reassuring her daughter that could never happen.

"I just didn't want you to know everything…" She put her head down. "It's too painful and humiliating."

Regina lifted her chin up so their eyes met. "I understand. I just want to help you through it all, but I can't do that if you won't talk to me."

Mandy nodded. "I'll talk to you from now on but I can't promise you'll like what you hear."

"I don't care what bad news you have to tell me, as long as you're talking to me and telling the truth."

Mandy smiled. "Can I take the potion now?" Regina nodded.

They walked over to Emma who happily handed her the potion. She looked at it for a moment before throwing it into the woods.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Emma yelled.

"I realized that as long as I have Regina, I can get through anything." She said smiling up at her mother.

Regina put her arm around her daughter and smiled. "Let's go home."

"Wait. You guys can't tell anyone about what happened to me back then and don't bring it up. EVER!" Mandy said.

They both nodded. "So you were talking to Jake earlier?" Regina questioned. Mandy laughed before she told them on their car ride home.

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I was on vacation and I was a little stuck with this chapter. Let me know what you think. The group session is next and it gets pretty heated. Enjoy!**


	33. Chapter 33 Secrets Revealed

**Okay so secrets come out that you all know about but the characters are just finding them out. The conversation/fight goes pretty quickly because everyone's emotions are running high.  
**

Chapter 33: Secrets Revealed

When Regina and Mandy got home later that day, she telephoned Archie and informed him that Miranda would no longer be seeing him. He was okay with that but he still wanted to do the group session but he knew that they weren't going to agree to do it. He would have to figure out a way to get everyone in the same room, when suddenly an idea popped into his head.

* * *

It was 2 days before the ball and they needed to try on their dresses one last time to make sure everything was perfect.

Cora and Regina already tried their dresses on and were waiting on Miranda.

"We have to take it in a little. It seems you have lost some weight since the last time." The seamstress said to Mandy.

"Miranda…" Regina was about to scold her but she quickly interrupted. "I haven't been skipping meals. If anything I've eaten more…and I'm not lying!" She added knowing what Regina was going to say next.

"You better not be." She warned. Mandy rolled her eyes. She heard her phone go off.

"Cora, could you hand me my phone?" She asked since she couldn't move.

Cora looked at it funny. "How does this magic little box work anyway?"

"That's a lesson for another time." Mandy replied.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Cora said handing her the phone.

Mandy laughed. She unlocked her phone and read the text message from Henry. Regina noticed Mandy's smile fade as she read it. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"Henry needs our help with something. He said it was urgent." She said trying to sound calm.

"Did he say what's going on?" Regina asked concerned.

Mandy shook her head. "Just to meet him at the town hall in 15 minutes."

"Why the town hall?" Cora asked.

"I'm just relaying the message guys, I don't know anything." Mandy said becoming frustrated with all the questions.

"We need to go. Tell him we'll be there." Regina said to Miranda before turning to the seamstress working on her daughter's dress. "Are you almost done with her dress?"

"Almost finished, miss." The seamstress replied as she kept quickly.

* * *

Once they were finished, they rushed through the town hall doors and went straight into the meeting room.

"Henry?" Mandy called out to an empty room.

"Where is he?" Cora asked looking around.

Snow, David and Emma came running through the doors.

"Henry?" Emma screamed.

David noticed the three standing off to the side. "What are you three doing here?"

"Henry told us to come here. He said it was urgent." Mandy answered.

"We got the same message." Snow said.

Neal and Gold came rushing in and saw all the 6 people gathered by the door. "What's going on? Where's Henry?"

"I take it you got the same message too?" David questioned.

"It appears that way, yes." Gold confirmed.

"So what's so urgent that we all had to rush down here…and where is that boy?" Cora asked knowing everyone was wondering the same thing.

"I wish I knew." Emma said putting her hands on her hips.

Regina walked a little closer to Emma. "You should know where he is!" She screamed.

"Oh, cuz you're such a great mother. You never knew where he was when he was under your care!" Emma shot back as she stepped closer to Regina.

"He didn't start lying until you came to town!" She yelled back.

"Enough!" A loud voice was heard from the other end of the room. Everyone looked over to see Henry and Archie standing there.

"What the hell is going on, Henry?" Mandy asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Archie wanted to do a group session…this was the only way to get you all down here." Henry answered,

"Henry, you can't lie about being in danger. Haven't you read 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'? He was eaten ya know." Emma said remembering the lesson from that story.

"I never said I was in danger." Henry pointed out.

"You made it sound like something was terribly wrong." Snow replied. "We all thought the worst."

"Henry, this is such a bad idea…" Neal said knowing everyone agreed.

"You all have a lot of issues to get through." Archie said.

"Archie, you know we have a lot of history together and we've done things to each other that are hard to forgive." Snow said trying to let him down gently that this wasn't going to happen.

"I know but you are all family one way or another. At least try to get through some of your issues." Archie said.

"Archie.." David said before being interrupted by Archie. "Just give it a shot…for Henry." He said bringing the boy in front of him.

"This is ridiculous. I am not participating in this charade." Regina stormed over to the doors but it wouldn't budge. She waved her hand in front of it trying to open it with magic but that didn't work either.

"You won't be able to get out." Henry said. "The Blue Fairy enchanted the exits. No one can leave until we talk things out."

"Emma sighed. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"Fraid not…have a seat." He said motioning the chairs in a circle.

Mandy was the first person to take a seat. She didn't know what the big deal was; she also didn't know all the secrets these people held. They all began to sit down, much to their dismay. They _really_ didn't want to be there. Henry sat next to Archie followed by Cora, Regina, Mandy, Snow, Emma, David, Neal, and Gold on the other side of Henry.

"What do you want us to do, tell all our secrets?" Gold questioned as he sat down.

"Just get everything out in the open." Archie replied.

"This is going to be a disaster. " Cora said sighing.

"Where do we start?" Neal asked.

"Let's start with Henry. "Archie suggested. "Is there anything you want to ask anyone here?"

Henry looked around. His eyes landed on Emma who was right across from him. "Mom, why can you forgive Neal and admit you have feelings for him?"

"I do _not_ have feelings for him!" She snapped denying Henry's accusations.

Snow placed her hand on Emma's knee. "Emma, you don't have to lie. We can all see it."

"See what?" Emma asked.

"That you are still in love with Neal." She replied.

"I am not!"

Neal smiled. "Ah, come on Emma. Admit it, you still love me."

Emma stood and starting yelling. "No Neal. You abandoned me. You made me take the fall for you and I had to spend 11 months in jail."

Neal stood. "I'm sorry! August told me to so you could break the curse!" He yelled back.

Emma moved closer to him. "Think about what could've been if you didn't listen to him! We could've raised Henry together!"

"You think I didn't want that? I couldn't keep you from your destiny. You had to break the curse!" He shouted.

"I could've done that while still being with you! You're from that world, you could've convinced me!" She shot back.

"I thought I was doing what was best!" He yelled.

"That's what my parents did. They thought they were doing the right thing when they sent me away." She said bitterly, forgetting anyone else was in the room.

"You're mad about that?" David asked.

"Yes, I mean no!" She sighed standing in front of her parents. "It's just, I could've been with you instead of alone all the time."

Snow shook her head and grabbed Emma's hands. "We would've been separated anyway, Emma. You were out only hope in breaking the curse."

"We wanted to keep you Emma but Regina made that impossible." He said glaring at Regina. She only rolled her eyes at his pathetic attempt to make her feel sorry for what she did.

"It was so hard giving you up. I only got to hold you for a minute before you had to be placed in the wardrobe." Snow said tears in her eyes.

She sat back down next to Snow. She didn't want her to cry. "I'm sorry. I understand why you had to do it but I'm still angry."

"You can blame Regina for that." David said glaring at the Queen for a second time.

"I had to take you all to a new land because I couldn't harm you in our own…thanks to your little deal with Rumple." Regina shot back.

David looked over to Gold, anger clearly visible on his face. "You made the deal exclusive only to our world?"

Gold nodded. "Yes, weren't you listening?"

Snow became very angry and started yelling at Regina. "Why couldn't you just be content with your banishment Regina? We spared your life."

"If you expect me to fall at your feet and express gratitude, you are sadly mistaken." Regina snapped. "And you know _exactly_ why, Snow!"

"I was 12. I said I was sorry and I really am. I didn't know Cora was going to kill Daniel." Snow said trying to get it through Regina's head that she didn't mean to.

"Sounds like you should be mad at your mother." Emma pointed out.

"Oh believe me, I am." Regina assured her.

"Regina, we've been fighting for god knows how long. Don't you think we try to resolve this?" Snow asked. Mandy was uncomfortable being in between Snow and Regina. She moved her chair back just in case they wanted to go at each other.

Regina narrowed her eyes on her stepdaughter. "I tried to get over your betrayal, Snow. I tried to move on and be happy with you and your father. It just wasn't…" Snow finished her thought. "The same as having your own family?"

Regina nodded. "I became even more miserable. I tried to get away from it all but Rumple offered to help me."

"Wait!" Cora said loudly. "How did you find out about him in the first place?" She asked Regina.

"Daddy told me about him and the book you kept under your pillow. I summoned him." Regina responded.

"You wanted to get rid of your over bearing mother!" Gold hissed from across the room.

"He's the one who told you to push me through the looking glass, isn't it?" Cora asked already knowing the answer.

Regina nodded. "He even supplied it."

Cora stood up angrily and shouted, "You needed me gone to get to Regina so you could corrupt her into your little pawn!"

"I wasn't his pawn." Regina argued.

Cora turned to her daughter. "Why do you think I didn't talk about him. I was protecting you from him. He wanted you when you were born but I was smart enough to amend the contract. He wanted you to enact the curse for his own agenda, not to help you with your revenge on Snow White."

"How far back does your little plan go, Gold?" Emma asked.

"When Cora wouldn't enact the curse, I had to find some else. Why not her daughter." He simply replied.

Regina got to her feet. "I just wanted her gone!" She said pointing to Cora. "Once I did that, I didn't want anything to do with magic."

"You loved every minute of it Regina!" Gold hissed.

"Exactly!" She sat back down disappointed in herself. " I didn't want to turn out like her, but that ship his sailed…"

"Far far away…" David mumbled which made Emma chuckle.

"If you didn't want anything to do with magic, why did you go back to learn?" Snow asked wanting to know what was going on with her stepmother at the time.

Regina sighed. "Jefferson told me about a Wizard who could bring the dead back to life. I thought he could bring Daniel back, but he failed."

"Are you talking about Dr. Whale?" Mandy asked. Regina nodded.

"Why did you believe him?! He is the worst Wizard ever, he doesn't even have magic!" She replied, angry that her mother would fall for his lies.

"You knew him before this world?" Emma asked before Regina could reply to her daughter.

"I met him in Oz. He was the Wizard there." She said.

Emma nodded. "Of course, the Wizard of Oz…I should've none."

"Then how did he bring Daniel back a second time?" Snow asked knowing he was here while she and Emma were back in the Enchanted Forest.

"He was a monster." Regina said closing her eyes remembering the way Daniel acted that day in the stables.

"Wait! How the hell was Whale going to do it in the first place?" Emma asked confused.

"He took a heart from my mother's vault. He was going to resurrect him, but it failed." She said sadly.

"How would he fail the first time but succeed the second time if he did it the same exact way both times?" David asked.

"Because he's a liar!" Mandy chimed in. "He probably wanted the heart for someone else. He must've been informed by _someone" _She looked directly at Gold. "That Regina could supply it."

"You caught me, dear." Gold chuckled at Mandy's realization. He was surprised Regina didn't realize it sooner. "He needed a heart and I needed you broken, so we made a deal."

"You _wanted_ Regina to enact the curse. Why?" Snow questioned.

"I needed to find my son. I would've cast the curse myself but I didn't love anyone." Gold responded.

"What about Belle? I thought you two were a thing." Neal asked.

"Regina kidnapped her and held her captive. She told me she died." Gold said glaring directly at Regina across the room.

"Who did you kill to enact the curse?" Henry asked his mom.

Regina looked down at her lap in shame. "My father." Mandy looked at her stunned. She couldn't believe she would kill her own father just to get revenge on Snow White.

"She killed her own father because she thought it would make her happy in the end." Gold said.

"And did it?" Archie asked.

Regina glared at him. "What do you think?"

"You think you're better than her?!" Neal asked his father. Gold looked at him confused. "You killed my mother because she left you for Hook."

"How do you know that?" Gold asked quickly.

"Hook told me. Why did you have to kill her?!" He shouted.

"She left you too, Bae!" Gold snapped.

"I didn't want her dead! She was going to come back for me." Neal replied.

"You were going to leave me?" Gold asked shocked.

"You'd rather have power than be with me so why should I stay and watch you make others suffer." Neal shot back.

"Sounds a lot like my mother. All they want is power." Regina said knowing how Neal felt.

"No wonder they loved each other." Mandy added.

"Whoa! Gold and Cora…dated?" Emma asked scrunching her face in disgust.

"We are not getting into that now!" Cora said.

"Definitely not!" Gold agreed.

"You chose power over love, didn't you Cora?" Snow asked.

"I'm warning you Snow, drop it." Cora said narrowing her eyes on the younger woman.

"Regina could've been Gold's daughter…" Henry realized.

"Ew. Henry, how could you even think that?!" Mandy said disgusted with the idea that she could be related to Gold.

Regina looked at her mother with a little bit of worry on her face. "That's not possible, is it mother?"

Cora was appalled Regina even thought of it being a possibility. "No. Of course not Regina! I wasn't stupid enough to get pregnant and then marry royalty like you did."

"A simple yes or no would've sufficed." Regina shot back.

"Why was power so important to you Cora?" Snow asked.

"Not everyone was born to privilege, Snow. Some of us had to work for it." Cora said bitterly.

"Now which royal humiliated you?" Gold tapped his chin acting like he was trying to remember something. "I do believe her name was Princess Ava."

"My mother?" Snow questioned in shock.

"Yes, she made Cora realize that she would be nothing more than a miller's daughter. I do believe you had to apologize to her when it was her fault in the first place." Gold said making Cora replay that horrible day in her head.

"That's impossible." Snow shook her head in disbelief. "My mother was the kindest soul ever. She wouldn't hurt anyone."

"You didn't know her when she was younger." Cora pointed out.

"No, I don't believe you!" Snow shouted.

"She was quite a bitch." Gold added.

"You take that back!" Snow stood and yelled at him.

"This whole thing started because she embarrassed you?" Regina looked at her mother. She couldn't believe how childish her mother acted.

"She didn't see me as her equal, Regina. She thought she was better than everyone just because she had a title and money." Cora shot back.

"So you killed my mother to make Regina the Queen and then what? What was your plan after that?" Snow asked angrily.

"I would've had the title but she would've made all the decisions. She wanted to rule, Snow, and that's exactly what she was going to do." Regina said knowing what her mother would've done.

"Oh Regina, please!" David shouted. "You liked the power just as much as your mother did. You enjoyed being Queen."

"Only after Leopold was dead." Regina replied.

"You killed my father, didn't you Regina?" Snow asked. She had a feeling she did but it was never confirmed.

"It was the only way I could be free of that horrible man." Regina snapped.

"My father was loving and caring!" Snow yelled defending her father.

"Maybe to you…" Regina said diverting her eyes from Snow.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snow questioned.

"Maybe you didn't know your parents so well after all." Regina replied not answering Snow's question.

Snow shook her head. She couldn't wrap her head around the things she was hearing about her parents. It took her a moment before she asked Regina another question that she had been wanting to ask her for a long time. "Was there ever a time you loved me…even just a little?"

Regina didn't say anything. She couldn't admit she did love the girl at one point.

"I loved you so much, Regina. I tried so hard to impress you and win you over, hoping we could become closer." Snow revealed to her stepmother.

"I already lost one daughter; I couldn't bear to let someone else in, someone who could break my heart." Regina replied looking Snow directly in her green eyes.

Snow stared directly back noticing Regina's eyes were soft even though her tone wasn't. "I never wanted to break your heart; I wanted to heal it. To help you get over Daniel and Miranda's deaths. I wanted to be there for you; I tried but you pushed me away."

"It wasn't that easy, Snow." Regina replied knowing Snow couldn't have really helped.

"But it could've been." Snow said.

Mandy noticed Regina was getting angry at Snow's persistence. "I think you should drop it, Snow."

"Who else did you kill?" Emma asked slipping the question in before her mother could speak again.

"Plenty." Regina sighed. "Did you have someone in mind?"

Emma had one person on her mind. "Graham…he didn't just have a heart attack, did he?"

"Yes, I killed him." Regina said confirming Emma's theory.

"Why?" David asked.

"Because she was jealous that he chose me over her." Emma said answering David's question.

Regina pursed her lips. "Ya know, I had a good thing going before you came into town."

"What, a son who'd rather be anywhere but with you and a fake relationship just to have sex?!" Emma shouted.

"It wasn't just sex…" Regina replied.

"TMI!" Mandy said. She didn't want to hear about her mother's extra curriculars.

Emma stood up and screamed, "You controlled him. He did whatever you wanted, how could it not be just sex?"

Regina got to her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "This is an inappropriate conversation to have tight now, Miss Swan. There are children present."

Emma ignored her and took a few steps in Regina's direction. "You couldn't stand the fact that you were losing control over everything…that includes Henry."

"He had a good life with me!" Regina yelled as she too stepped closer to the blonde. "It wasn't until Snow gave him that stupid book, he started acting up."

"Don't blame her. He was miserable with you before the book." Emma hissed.

"Stop!" Henry yelled pushing Regina and Emma away from each other before standing next to Emma. "Regina wasn't that bad. I just wanted to find my real mom and Emma needed to break the curse."

Mandy stood up next to Regina, directly across from Henry. "When I first met you, all you kept saying was how evil Regina was and that she would never change!" She yelled angrily. She couldn't understand why he treated Regina like this after everything she had done for him in the past.

"That's not true!" He shouted back.

"She was trying to change for you Henry…and you _still_ thought she was evil." She said placing her hands on her hips.

"I shouldn't have told you anything!" He said angrily.

"And I should've let Peter kill you!" Mandy screamed back.

Henry became enraged. He pushed Mandy hard enough to make her stumble backwards but not enough to make her fall. She quickly regained her balance and pushed him back. Regina and Emma quickly grabbed their kids, holding them tight so they wouldn't fight each other. Mandy and Henry both tried to wriggle free from their mothers' grasps, to no avail.

Mandy knew she wasn't going to break free of Regina so she continued to yell at Henry. "You are so ungrateful, Henry. You are a very lucky kid to have so much love in your life. Every other person in this room knows what it feels like to feel unloved. Stop picking sides!"

"I'm not picking sides. I love both my moms equally!" He shouted.

"Could've fooled me." She replied.

"That's enough, Miranda." Regina said pulling Mandy closer so she would know how serious she was.

"You're just jealous, Miranda. Maybe if you _tried_ looking for your mom, you would've found her." Henry yelled.

"Henry…" Emma warned.

"Maybe Regina didn't want you…that's why she adopted me!" Henry yelled ignoring Emma. He knew that would hurt her.

"Henry!" Regina snapped. Mandy stopped fighting her and Regina knew Henry's words got to her.

Henry ignored her as well. He saw Mandy's strength leave her as he said those words. "What's wrong, Mandy? Don't like being abandoned and unloved?"

Mandy didn't want to let Henry get to her. "Emma gave you up _willingly_. She's the one who didn't want you."

"That's enough!" David stood and yelled. This was getting out of hand and it needed to stop. "I don't know what you were trying to accomplish, Archie, but it ended up in a bigger fight."

"I didn't realize how much damage you did to one another." Archie said.

Miranda broke free from Regina's grasp and ran to the door. Her emotions were out of control and so was her magic. With one wave of her hand the doors flew open and she was out of there in a heartbeat.

"I thought you were teaching her how to control her magic?" Gold said to Cora and Regina.

"We are but it's a little harder than you think. Teenage girls have a lot of emotions." Cora shot back.

"Well you might want to do it soon, before her 16th birthday." Gold said before walking towards the door.

"Wait!" Regina yelled. "Why _before_ her 16th birthday?"

Gold turned around facing everyone in the room who was attentively listening to what he was about to say. "As most of you know, Miranda has both light and dark magic. On her 16th birthday, one will take over. Seeing that her mother and grandmother both have dark magic and Emma has light magic, she will most likely become dark."

"Is there any way to stop it or make sure it's light magic?" Snow asked.

"Not that I'm aware of. But when her true powers take over, she will be very powerful. There's no telling what she'll do or is capable of." Gold warned.

"Is there anything Emma can do?" Regina asked. "She saved her before because they have a special connection. Could she help her again?"

Gold shook his head. "She's not dying so I would say no."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Regina asked frustrated that Gold waited 2 days before her 16th birthday to tell them.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Hope for the best."

"This is all your fault Rumple!" Cora shouted. "If you hadn't been hungry for power then your son wouldn't have fallen through a portal and you wouldn't have ruined all of our lives trying to find him."

Everyone then realized that Rumple was mainly responsible for everything that's happened to them.

**So I hoped you liked group therapy-more like a screaming match and blaming each other but I thought it would be good to bring out everything they did to one another and place all the cards on the table. Let me know what you think.**


	34. Chapter 34 Preparations and Gifts

Chapter 34: Preparations and Gifts

Regina burst through the door of the mansion followed by Cora. "Miranda? Miranda!" She screamed hoping she was somewhere in the house.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Mandy yelled from the second floor much to her mother's relief. She _really_ didn't want Mandy to run away again. She walked into the living room and took a seat on the sofa, clearly drained from the day's events.

"What was Archie thinking?" Cora asked as she sat down next to Regina.

"He clearly wasn't." She replied leaning her head on her hand.

"Are we telling Miranda what Gold said?" Cora asked.

Regina sighed. "I don't want to frighten her."

"She will be angry with us if we don't inform her and I think it would be better if she knew, that way she can prepare herself." Cora advised.

"I suppose." Regina agreed although she still didn't want to tell her.

Miranda walked into the living room. "If you called me down to yell at me, save it. Henry had it coming." She said angrily.

Regina stood up and slowly walked over to her. "I'm not going to yell. Henry was way out of line for saying those things to you."

Mandy crossed her arms and looked away from her mother. "I was just defending you."

Regina smiled." I know, darling. Thank you."

Mandy felt bad for ditching them earlier. "I'm sorry for running out of there. Henry had me so angry and upset; I didn't know what I was going to do to him. I was _very_ tempted to use magic."

"I'm glad you didn't." Regina said moving Mandy's long loose curls behind her shoulder. "And what he said about me not wanting you was far from the truth. You know that right?"

"Mmhm." She said half-heartedly diverting her eyes from Regina's. Regina lifted her chin to look deep into her daughter's eyes. "That wasn't very convincing." Mandy didn't respond.

Cora rose and stood by Regina's side. "She wanted you, Miranda. Believe me." She said confirming what Regina previously said.

Mandy believed them. She knew Regina wanted her but she had something else on her mind. "Can I ask you something?"

Regina nodded." Of course, anything."

Mandy shifted uncomfortable with the question she was about to ask but she needed to know the answer. "If you killed your father to enact the curse, would you do it to someone else you love?"

Regina was pained by the mention of her father. She has and always will have guilt about killing her father. "You're afraid I'll sacrifice you for something like the curse." Mandy nodded.

"I already lost you once; I'm not losing you a second time. Besides, I could never do it again; it hurt too much." She said remembering the look on her father's face when she ripped his heart out. A single tear spilled over her eyelid. "I miss him so much."

Mandy hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry, mom."

Regina wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I'm sorry you had to hear the horrible things I've done in the past."

She pulled away to look up at her mother. "You accepted my past so how could I not accept yours!"

Regina gave her a slight smile before her face turned serious. "Honey, there's something I need to tell you." She led her to the sofa. Mandy could tell something was wrong when Cora also sat down on the other side of her.

"Remember when Cora explained to us what being the 'Falling Star' consisted of? You have both light and dark magic." She asked Mandy. She nodded. "Well on your 16th birthday, one of them will take over fully."

"Most likely dark." Cora added. "Because there's more dark magic in you than the pure kind."

Mandy had a feeling something like this would happen but she didn't feel like darkness would win. "Well whatever happens, will you be there?" She looked at Regina than at Cora. "Both you of?" They both reassured her that they would help her through it. "Then everything will be fine, nothing to worry about." She kissed both their cheeks before heading back to her room. She didn't want them to know how scared she was.

* * *

It was the morning of the party and things were pretty tense. Henry felt bad for helping Archie organize that meeting. He honestly thought it would help but it just made things worse between everyone. He also felt bad about the things he said to Mandy. He wanted to patch things up before the party so he headed over to Regina's in the hopes Mandy would forgive him.

"Hello Henry." Cora greeted him when she answered the door.

"Hi Cora. I was wondering if I could talk to Mandy?" He said.

"Come in. I'll go get her."

Henry waited in the living room while Cora went to get Mandy. He looked around the room remembering all the time he spent in there. He looked at the pictures of his younger self with Regina that were on the mantle. He noticed a new picture was added since he was gone. It was a picture of Regina and Mandy. He couldn't help but smile. He walked over to a cabinet, knowing that's where his mother kept a hidden stash of candy. He was about to take a piece when he noticed a book that wasn't there before. He pulled it out and began flipping through the pages.

"A spell book! This could come in handy." He heard footsteps on the stairs and quickly slipped it into his backpack and shut the cabinet doors.

"What do you want Henry?" Mandy asked angrily as she came into the living room. She didn't want to talk to him but Cora made her.

"I wanted to apologize for the things I said the other day. I didn't mean any of it; I just said it to hurt you." He said truthfully.

"Well it worked." Mandy sighed.

"I'm really sorry." He said genuinely. "I just got caught up in the moment."

"I think we all did." Mandy said recalling how everyone said mean things to one another.

"Regina loves you…like a lot!" He said.

Mandy giggled. "I love her too."

A smile crept across his face. "So, does this mean you forgive me?" He asked hopefully.

Mandy ruffled his hair." Yea, I forgive you."

"I knew you couldn't stay mad at me."

"You better watch it!" She warned. "I almost used magic on you."

Henry was shocked. "You wouldn't!"

"If I'm mad enough, I will."

"Note to self…don't piss off Mandy." Henry said.

Mandy laughed. "And don't you forget it!"

Regina then walked into the room. "Mother said you were here. Henry."

"I was just apologizing for the things I said to Mandy." Henry informed.

"Henry, those were horrible things you said to her. I thought I raised you better than that." Regina scolded.

Henry put his head down. "You did. I'm sorry."

"You two should be protecting one another like brother and sister, not fighting each other." She said to both her children.

They both nodded and replied in unison. "Yes, mom."

"You two need to realize that DNA isn't what makes a family; it's love." She informed them.

"Miranda, could you come here please?" Cora called from the kitchen. Mandy rolled her eyes but complied.

"Henry, I love you both equally and just because you're living with Emma now doesn't mean I love you any less." Regina reminded him.

Henry looked up to her with his hopeful eyes. "I will always have a place in my heart for you. You're my mom too. I don't mean to pick sides; it's just hard when you two don't exactly get along."

Regina nodded. "I understand Henry. Emma and I are trying our best."

"I know." He smiled.

"Mom, you'll never guess what Cora got me for my birthday!" Mandy yelled running into the room.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

Mandy began pulling her towards the kitchen. "You'll see!"

She dragged Regina into the kitchen and she was shocked at what she saw. "Mother, what are you holding?"

"It's a cat, Regina. You've seen them before." Cora said petting the white feline.

"Yes, but why is it in my kitchen?" She questioned.

"It's my birthday present!" Mandy said excitingly.

Something fury brushed up against Regina's leg. She looked down, startled, seeing an orange kitten. "How many cats did you buy her?"

"Four." Cora responded nonchalantly. "A mother and her three kittens."

"Cora is holding the mother. Her name is Duchess." Mandy told her.

"How appropriate." Regina said eyeing the cat in her mother's arms.

Mandy nodded. "The orange kitten is named Toulouse, the black kitten is named Berlioz, and the white kitten is named Marie."

"How did you come up with those names?" Henry asked picking up the orange kitten that was rubbing up against him.

"It's the names on their collars." She said as she held the black kitten.

"They must be the Aristocats!" Henry exclaimed recalling that movie.

"We can't keep them all." Regina said looking at how these cats had taken over her kitchen. She thought about all the cat hair that would most definitely be all over her house.

"But we can't split them up!" Mandy protested as she handed Regina the small white kitten. "Do you really want to separate them from their mother?" She asked knowing her mother wouldn't be able to do it since she knew what it was like to be separated from her child.

Regina looked into Marie's cute little eyes. "How can I say no to that face?"

"Does that mean they all stay?" Mandy asked hopefully.

Regina sighed. "They all stay." She confirmed knowing she would be doing more cleaning than usual.

* * *

The Mills women spent the rest of the day getting ready together. Regina just finished painting Mandy's nails a dark purple. "Don't touch anything. Now sit tight, Cora's going to do your hair and makeup." She said before leaving to get changed.

"Is it going to take long?" She asked Cora.

"What do you think?" Cora asked as if she should already know the answer.

"Magic?" Mandy said seeing that would be the only possible way Cora would be doing her hair.

"You didn't think I was going to do it by hand, did you?" She asked surprised before snapping her fingers. The front of her hair was twirled back slightly in five rows and was pinned in place with shiny snowflake pins. The rest of her hair was curled and remained down.

"Wow Cora. I love it!" Mandy exclaimed looking in the mirror.

Cora smiled. "Thought you would."

Regina came into her room with Mandy's dress and laid it on the bed. She was wearing a royal blue satin dress that was tight up top but flowed freely at the waist. A thin line of sparkles lined the top of her strapless dress and also went around her waist. Her hair curled and pinned up.

"Oh mother! You outdid yourself." She said admiring Mandy's hair and makeup.

"Thank you, my love." She said to Regina before pulling Mandy up and pushing her towards the bed. "Put your dress on….and don't mess up your hair!" Cora instructed. Regina sat down in Miranda's previous seat and began doing her makeup.

Mandy quickly slipped into her dress. It was a black strapless dress that had a deep purple flowing through the skirt of it. The top part was covered with just enough sparkles to bring beauty to the dress. "Cora, can you lace it up?"

"I have to go get ready, dear. Ask Regina." She said before leaving.

"Come here, dear." Regina said without looking away from the mirror. Mandy walked over to her while trying to hold up her dress.

Regina quickly laced it up without any trouble. "Turn around. Let me get a good look at you."

Mandy turned around, not expecting to look pretty or anything. "What do you think?" Mandy asked shyly.

Regina stood up. "Oh honey, you look beautiful."

Mandy rolled her eyes. "Mom, you don't have to exaggerate."

Regina walked behind her daughter as they both stared in the mirror at one another. "Jake is going to be speechless when he sees you." She said smiling.

Mandy took a step closer to the mirror. She didn't even recognize herself. She never thought she would ever wearing a beautiful dress and going to a fancy party that was her. "Wow." She whispered to herself.

Regina put her hands on her daughters' shoulders. "What is it, dear?"

Mandy looked to her mother though the mirror, "For the first time…I feel…pretty."

"You didn't have to put on a nice dress and some makeup to figure that out." Regina turned her around and cupped her daughter's face in her hands. "You're beautiful because you're you." She kissed the top of her forehead.

Mandy blushed. "Thanks, mom." It made her feel better.

Regina handed her a small wrapped box. "For you, dear. I hope you like it."

Mandy unwrapped it quickly. She pulled out a chain with a gold ring hanging from it. "It was the ring your father gave me when he proposed. It used to have magic attached to it, but I used it." She didn't want to tell her what she used it on, so she left that part out and was hoping Mandy wouldn't ask. "I wanted you to have it."

Mandy smiled. "It's the best gift ever!" She flung her arms around her mother's neck. "Thanks mom!"

"I'm glad you like it, dear." She said hugging her back.

"Can you put it on me?" She asked.

"Of course!" She took the necklace from her and clasped it around Mandy's neck. Mandy held it in her hand as it hung from her neck. It made her feel closer to her father.

"So…how are princesses supposed to act?" She asked randomly.

Regina thought about it for a moment. "Well, a princess must act responsibly, be very involved with her people, be knowledgeable about many things and know how to rule a kingdom."

"Oh, that's it?" She said sarcastically.

Regina laughed. "You don't have to worry about any of that. I just want you to have fun tonight." As soon as Regina finished her sentence, tiaras appeared on both of their heads. "Mother!" Regina screamed.

Cora walked into the room. "Those tiaras look wonderful upon your heads…and they go perfectly with your dresses."

"Mother, we are not going to this party as royalty. We are going as Regina, Cora and Miranda Mills, got it?" Regina said loud and clear.

Cora huffed and pursed her lips. "Alright Regina, don't throw a fit."

"Can I wear it?" Mandy asked making Regina turn around shocked. "If you really want too…" She said causing Mandy to smile. Regina turned back to her mother and noticed her dress. She instantly became angry. "Mother, what the hell are you wearing?!"

Cora smoothed down her blood red silk dress. It had a thick intricate white pattern that lined the top of her strapless dress and went down the center slightly and went around the waist. A few small white roses were on the skirt of the dress. "My dress, dear. Don't you just love it?...Not the white roses so much, but the rest of it?"

Regina gritted her teeth and ignored her question. "Why is it _red?_ We agreed that neither one of us was going to wear that color!"

Cora shrugged her shoulders. "I changed my mind."

Regina walked closer to her mother, clearly still angry. "You had every intention of going behind my back and wearing red, didn't you?"

Cora chuckled at how well her daughter knew her. "Yes, I was always going to wear this color."

"You're unbelievable…. " Regina started but was interrupted by her daughter. "Can you two _please_ not fight tonight?" She begged. "Please?"

"Sorry, dear." Regina apologized. She dint want to ruin this special night for her daughter.

The doorbell rang, making Mandy jump. "Oh no, he's here. Jake's here!"

Cora looked at her granddaughter and couldn't believe how childish she was acting. "Calm down, Miranda. It's just a boy."

"Mother, I think it would be more helpful if you answered the door rather than trying to calm down your granddaughter." Regina said aggravated before Cora left annoyed at her daughter.

Regina turned back around to her daughter who was nervously pacing the floor. "Honey, why are you so nervous?"

"I don't want to do something stupid in front of him." She said looking at the floor as she kept pacing.

"Like what?" She asked.

Mandy threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know, like trip in front of him. I'm not a pro at walking in heels, ya know!"

"You'll be fine." Regina assured her. "I thought you two were just friends anyway?"

"We are, but I think I kinda like him." She admitted.

"That's okay."

Mandy became frustrated with the emotions she was feeling. She stopped pacing and yelled, "No, it's not okay! What about Peter? It's like I'm totally forgetting about him." She cried and began pacing again.

Regina wasn't ready for Mandy's outburst but she understood. "Honey, Peter will want you to move on."

"How do you know that?" She asked looking at the floor.

Regina put her hands on her daughter's shoulders, making her look at her. "If he truly loved you, he will want you to love again. Your father told me to do the same thing."

"How did you talk to Daddy?" She asked curiously as tears slid down her face. She wanted to know if her mother talked to Daniel in the dream state she was in when she tried committing suicide.

"When Dr. Whale brought him back, he told me that before he turned back into a monster." She said remembering that day like it was yesterday and how painful it was to hear Daniel say that to her.

"And did you?" Mandy asked looking up at her mother.

"I haven't found anyone yet…but you have!" She said wiping away Mandy's tears. "He won't be Peter but he can bring some happiness back into your life…if you'll let him." As she listened to herself say those words, she realized she should take her own advice.

Mandy nodded. "I guess so…I'm still nervous though."

Regina magically fixed her makeup before placing a kiss on her forehead. "How many times do I have to tell you you'll be fine?"

Mandy tilted her head and smiled. "Once more."

Regina leaned down so their foreheads met. "You'll be fine!" Now hurry up, you don't want to keep him waiting any longer." She said pushing her towards the door.

"I'm going, I'm going." She turned back to her mother. "I have to tell you something, but I don't want to ruin the night so I'll tell you tomorrow."

"You can tell me now." Regina said wanting to know what it was.

Mandy shook her head. "It's better to wait until tomorrow…and thanks for calming me down!" She was going to tell Regina about her attempted suicide and she knew her mother wouldn't take it too well. She was also worried about her powers that were supposed to become either dark or light later that night. She tried to put all of that at the back of her head as she made her way down the stairs, Regina following her.

Cora was asking Jake a ton of questions in the foyer when Mandy coughed letting them know she was coming down. Jake looked up to her, his jaw dropping at the sight. Even though Regina was standing right behind her, his eyes were purely focused on Mandy. He blinked his eyes a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. He watched her descend the stairs, never taking his eyes off of her.

She wasn't sure what he was thinking and became uneasy. She flashed him a nervous smile when she reached the bottom. Regina and Cora were watching and listening a few feet away with smiles on their faces.

"Hi Jake." Mandy said walking over to him.

Jake shook his head in disbelief. "You look so…" She cut him off. "Girly?"

"Beautiful." He said looking into her dark brown eyes. To him, it was like they were glistening.

She blushed. She wasn't expecting him to say that. "Thank you." She whispered. "And you look very handsome…especially with your purple tie."

Jake lifted his tie. "To match your dress."

She smiled. "How appropriate."

He forgot to give her the flowers he brought her. "For you." She took them and smelled them. "They are purple oleander. It means beauty and grace…both of which you possess."

"Thank you, their lovely!" She said smiling up at him.

"They are very nice." Regina said walking a little closer to the couple.

Mandy realized they had never met before. "Oh I don't think you two met. Jake this is my mother, Regina. Mom, Jake." They shook hands. "Nice to meet you Ms. Mills."

"Please, it's Regina." She said.

He nodded in her direction and then held out his arm. "Shall we?" He asked looking at Miranda.

She hooked her arm around his. "I'll meet you there." She said to Regina and Cora.

"Not so fast!" Regina said catching Mandy's free arm. "I want to take a picture of the two of you."

Mandy sighed. "Mom, seriously?!" She thought she would embarrass herself, but her mother was doing that for her.

"Smile!" Regina said ignoring her daughter and held up the camera. Mandy reluctantly smiled, still holding on to Jake's arm.

"You two are so cute together! Get another one Regina." Cora demanded.

Mandy held up her hand. "One's enough."

"It's okay, Miranda. I like getting my picture taken." He said.

"You do?" She asked shocked.

"With you standing next to me, how could I not enjoy it?" He said sincerely as he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer. Although he couldn't see her face, he could tell she was beaming. Regina and Cora could tell from the picture that there was something special between the couple.

"You two get a picture!" Jake said to Regina.

She was surprised by the suggestion but handed him the camera and stood next to her daughter.

"Cora, get on the other side of Mandy!" Jake instructed.

"What are you, some kind of photographer?" Mandy asked sarcastically.

Jake laughed. "I just like taking pictures of beautiful things." All three couldn't help but smile at his comment. He quickly snapped the photo catching them in a rare but special moment. "That one was really good. You should totally frame that one!" He said handing the camera back to Regina.

"You can count on it." She told him.

"Can we go now?" Mandy asked eagerly.

"How are you getting there?" Regina asked.

"My car." Jake replied.

"You drive?" She asked arching her eyebrows.

"Yes. I'm a very safe driver but I'll be extra careful for something special will be inside. "He said smiling down at Mandy.

Regina smiled eyeing the pair in front of them. "Very well. I'll see you both there."

"Looking forward to it. Ready Mandy?" Jake asked.

Mandy hooked her arm though his once more. "Ready!"

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next update won't be for a few days, but the Party is next. Let me know what you think!**


	35. Chapter 35 Party Time!

Chapter 35: Party Time!

Jake and Mandy entered a large room in the town hall where the party was being held. A lot of people had already arrived, including Regina and Cora who somehow managed to arrive before they did. Everyone started clapping and cheering when they saw Mandy some in. She didn't like all the attention on her, she wasn't used to it. Jake could feel how nervous she was but helped her through it. He squeezed her hand a little tighter, letting her know he was there for her.

After a while of mingling with people she had never met before, Jake whispered in her ear. "Would you like to meet some of my friends?" She nodded and he led her over.

"Hey Jake! How's it going?" One of his friends asked as he shook hands with Jake.

Jake introduced them. "Miranda, I would like you to meet Patrick, Kyle, Dylan and Artie. Guys, this is Miranda."

"Hello." She said softly.

Artie grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it. "Pleasure to meet you, Miranda."

Mandy was weirded out by the gesture but assumed that's what they did at parties such as these. "Likewise."

"So what's it like having magic?" Dylan asked before taking a sip of his drink.

Mandy narrowed her eyes. "How do you know I have magic?"

"You saved every kid from those horrible witches. We were all there." Dylan responded.

Mandy lowered her eyes. "Oh, right…that."

"Yea, I heard you almost died." Kyle added.

Jake put his hands up, silencing his friends. "Alright guys, let's not be morbid."

Kyle nodded. "Right, sorry. Sometimes I don't think before I speak."

"Happens to the best of us." She said offering a weak smile.

"You're also the daughter of the Evil Queen…what's that like?" Patrick asked curious to hear her answer.

Mandy was feeling totally blind-sided by Jake's friends. They seemed to know more about her when she knew absolutely nothing about them except for their names.

"Her name is Regina" She corrected them through gritted teeth. "And she's wonderful. You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

The guys could hear the hostility in her voice as she spoke. "We didn't mean to offend you, Miranda" Kyle said.

"Yea, we were only trying to get to know the girl our best friend is interested in." Patrick said defending their reasoning for the questions.

"Maybe we can lay off the 20 questions for a bit and just hangout?" Jake suggested.

They all nodded. Jake pulled her close and whispered, "Sorry about them. They don't mean any harm."

"I know, I'm sorry too." She whispered back. He squeezed her hand letting her know everything was alright.

* * *

When they were finished eating, the music started to play and people began to Waltz around the dance floor.

"Would the birthday girl like to dance?" Jake asked as he extended his hand.

Mandy turned in her seat. "The birthday girl doesn't know how to Waltz."

"Just follow my lead." He said pulling her up from her seat.

_I wish I let Cora teach me how to dance!_ She thought to herself as Jake was dragging her across the dance floor.

She watched her feet, trying to get the pattern down but her brain wasn't processing the moves.

"Ow!" Jake yelped when she stepped on his foot for the fourth time.

Mandy blushed. "Sorry…I told you I don't know how to Waltz."

"You're thinking about it too much. Don't look at our feet, look at my eyes." He instructed. Mandy felt a little unsure but followed his directions, letting her mind run free as she stared into his sparkling blue eyes. She didn't even notice she was gliding across the dance floor.

When the dance was over, Cora came up to retrieve Mandy. "Miranda, you need to start mingling with your party guests."

"I did when I first arrived." She said.

"Well you missed a few people." Cora pointed out.

"But I'm with Jake right now." She protested.

Cora grabbed her wrist. "She'll only be gone for a half hour at best…you understand."

Jake nodded. "Certainly. I'll be with the guys when you're done."

Mandy shot him a weak smile before Cora pulled her away. "This couldn't have waited a little longer?"

"Sorry dear, but you have many guests that you need to thank for coming." Cora said.

"Very well." Mandy said as she began to mingle once again.

After 15 minutes of constant talking, she found her way over to Snow and Emma, thankful to talk to people she actually knew.

"I feel like I haven't talked to you two all night!" Mandy exclaimed.

"That's okay. You've been very busy." Snow pointed out.

Mandy smiled. "Snow, I hadn't noticed your dress earlier but you look awesome!" She was wearing an ash grey silk dress. It was a sweetheart up top with a high-waisted think silver belt with an interesting pattern as it flowed freely down and around her.

"You've seen it before, Miranda." Snow reminded her.

"I know but it looks better now with your make up on and your hair all done." She said before looking over to Emma. "Emma, you look so different…"

"Thanks…"She said sarcastically.

"Different meaning pretty." Mandy corrected herself.

"I feel kinda weird, this dress is huge!" Emma said looking down at it. The crème colored straps hung off her shoulders in the shape of tiny roses as her torso was covered with an interesting pattern. The skirt of the dress was a light gold color but was very plain. She didn't want anything to attention grabbing so she kept her hair down in loose curls.

"I'm having trouble with the heels." Mandy sighed.

"Will you two stop complaining." Snow said playfully hitting their arms. "And enjoy yourself."

Emma glared at her. "It's a little hard when you're wearing a parachute."

Snow ignored her. "You and Jake seem to be hitting it off."

Mandy's eyes brighten at the mention of Jake. "We are! I'm having a good time so far. Thanks for suggesting it to my mom and helping with the organizing."

Snow waved her hand. "It was no trouble at all. I enjoy planning parties."

Henry ran up to Mandy and gave her a hug. "Oh, hey Henry!" She said returning the hug. "You look so cute in your little tux."

Henry pulled away. "Thanks. You look great too!"

She felt bad she didn't get a chance to talk to Henry earlier in the night. "Sorry I haven't hung out with you all night. I hope you're having fun!"

"I am for the most part…this music is kinda boring though." Henry admitted.

"Henry, this music is what we danced to in our world. It's lovely." Snow said as she closed her eyes as she remembered the many balls she went to.

"I agree with the kid." Emma said placing her hands on her hips. "This music is putting me to sleep."

Snow shook her head. "I don't see anything wrong with it."

Mandy looked at the dance floor. "They're right, Snow. No one is dancing except for the people who know the elegant dances."

"Snow, will you come here real quick." David called a few feet away.

Snow shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what to tell you three." She said before leaving.

"We need to get people dancing." Mandy said.

"We need a DJ, but I don't see that happening…" Emma sighed.

"I do!" Henry exclaimed.

"How?" Mandy asked puzzled.

"You and Emma have magic…so just poof one up." He said as if they should've thought of it before he did.

Emma crossed her arms. "Snow and Cora are gonna be pissed,"

Mandy shrugged her shoulders. "Oh well. It's my party and I want a DJ. They'll just have to get over it."

"I do want to dance to better music than this classical crap…" Emma said.

Henry nudged her. "So…is that a yes?"

Emma smiled down at him. "Yes."

Mandy grabbed Emma's hand. "Ready?"

Emma quickly pulled away. "Whoa…I didn't know I had to use magic…I thought you were gonna do it!"

"Our magic is stronger together." She said slipping her hand in Emma's once more. "Besides, mine isn't fully restored yet…who knows what will pop up."

"Alright fine." Emma sighed.

"Close your eyes and picture a DJ." Mandy instructed.

Emma complied and their hands began to glow. They suddenly heard a loud beat and Maroon 5 playing. They opened their eyes and there was a DJ where the orchestra used to be.

"Wow!" Mandy said at their accomplishment.

"We did it!" Emma whispered in amazement.

"You sound surprised." Henry pointed out.

Emma nodded. "I am…I honestly don't know what just happened. Magic is still foreign to me." She admitted.

Everyone was startled by the sudden music change. All the kids instantly jumped up and began dancing. The adults, especially the royals, were hesitant.

"What is going on?" Cora asked angrily and she walked up beside Snow.

Even though the people who were in group therapy wouldn't talk to each other, Snow answered. "I think I know." She marched up behind Mandy, Emma and Henry. She was followed by Cora who was eager to know what was going on.

"Emma Swan! What is the meaning of this?" Snow asked in an authoritative tone.

Emma was startled to be yelled at by Snow. She wasn't used to being scolded by her and she didn't know what to say. She looked like a deer stuck in head lights.

Mandy saw Emma sinking fast. "I changed the music." She said not wanting Emma or Henry to get in trouble.

"Why?" Cora asked angrily.

"I like this music better…and everyone is dancing." She said pointing to the dance floor.

Regina walked up beside them. "Who changed the music? I'm loving it!" She said as she started to sway back and forth.

"If Regina likes it, then it can't be that bad." Emma pointed out.

"Much easier to dance to…and no one has to know those stupid dances." Regina added and she began to move a little more to the music.

"Regina, those dances are classics!" Cora reminded.

"Oh lighten up, Mother! Loosen up a bit." She said bumping hips with Cora who wasn't enjoying it at all.

"How much did you have to drink, Regina?" Emma asked observing the way Regina was acting.

Regina stood up straighter but kept swaying to the music. "I'm perfectly fine, Miss Swan. I'm just having fun."

"She had 3 glasses of wine." Cora said answering Emma's question.

"And 2 shots." Snow added.

"You saw that?!" Regina asked shocked. Snow nodded.

"I'm cutting you off, Regina, before you make a total fool of yourself." Cora said firmly.

Regina ignored her and joined the other people on the dance floor. Henry and Emma followed her.

Mandy rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe her mother was acting like that. "I'm going to join Jake. Excuse me."

"So much for that." Cora said crossing her arms.

"You can change it back…" Snow pointed out.

Cora sighed. "If this is what my granddaughter wants, then I shall leave it."

Snow turned to look at the older woman in amazement. "Wow, Cora. That's very selfless of you."

"I'm just full of surprises, aren't I?" Cora said smiling watching Regina, Emma and Henry dance.

Snow nodded. "That you are."

* * *

"Liking the music?" Mandy asked Jake and his friends who were dancing like crazy.

"Loving it!" Jake said grabbing Mandy's hands and making her dance.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" Patrick asked.

"Maybe a little…" She laughed.

"Great choice!" Kyle said.

"Would you like to meet my parents?" Jake asked.

Mandy was surprised by the question. "Sure." How could she say no?

He smiled and led her over to where his parents were sitting, talking to a few people. She was a bit nervous to meet his parents. She was worried that because she was related to Regina that his parents wouldn't let him see her anymore. As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she felt guilty. Regina has done so much for her; she shouldn't be ashamed that she was her mother.

"They seem deep in conversation. Maybe we should come back another time." Mandy said pulling his arm the other way.

Jake chuckled. "Are you nervous?"

"No, why would you say that?" She said denying it even though it was true.

"I can tell when you're nervous…you always bite your lip." He admitted.

"I do?" She asked not realizing she did that.

Jake nodded. "It's cute.

"Jacob?" He heard his mother calling him. He walked over to her with Mandy following behind,

"Jacob, I haven't seen you all night!" His mother said grabbing his hands.

"I'm sorry, mom. I was spending time with Mandy." He said.

Her eyes wandered behind her son, eyeing the young girl. "You must be Miranda." Mandy only nodded. "Come here, dear."

Mandy slowly walked over to her. "It's nice to meet you." She said softly.

"You too, dear. Jacob has told me so much about you." She said smiling.

"Really? He hasn't said much about you, I'm afraid." Mandy admitted feeling blind-sided for the second time that night.

His mother waved her off. "I'm not surprised. He never liked being a Prince."

"Prince?!" Mandy asked her voice rising from the shock.

"Did I forget to mention that?" He asked rubbing the back of his neck.

"You seemed to have forgotten that little detail." She said through gritted teeth. "It explains why you're so charming and such a great dancer."

"Valerie, some people would like to talk to you." A man said as he stood next to Jake's mom. Mandy assumed this was his father.

"I'll be there in a few minutes Charlie." She said patting her husband's chest.

"King Charles and Queen Valerie…of the Southern Kingdom?" She asked remembering them from the Enchanted Forest.

Valerie nodded. "Have you been there, dear?"

Mandy shook her head. "Oh no, but I heard it was a lovely Kingdom, one of the best in fact."

"We try to rule with a firm but fair hand. We want our people to live comfortably." Charles said in a deep voice.

Mandy sighed. "I wish other royals would follow your example."

"As do I, but it didn't seem to catch on." Valerie said patting the girl on the shoulder.

"Did you know my mom?" The question shot out of her mouth before she even knew what she was saying. She was scared of what their answer might be but they both seemed fine with the mention of her mother.

"Your mother used to come to the Kingdom with Leopold." Charles informed.

"I loved when she came for a visit. We would spend hours talking." Valerie said remembering the times she spent with Regina.

"She even kept our deals after Leopold passed away." Charles said sounding very grateful.

"But she didn't visit anymore." Valerie said sadly. "I was shocked when I heard of the things she had done as Queen."

"You mean the Evil Queen…" Mandy said putting her head down.

Valerie shook her head. "No. She will never be evil in my eyes. She will always be my friend, the one I spent hours talking to."

"Why haven't you talked to her since the curse broke?" Jake asked is mother.

"We haven't spoken in so long…it just didn't seem like I could." Valerie admitted.

Charles patted his wife on the back. "You should go talk to her, Val. I know you want too! You miss talking to Regina."

Valerie nodded. "I do…I'm going over right now."

"Charles…over here." Someone called him.

"If you'll excuse me, children I have some mingling to continue. It was nice meeting you, Miranda. Happy Birthday!"

"You too, sir. Thank you!" Mandy said curtsying towards him. She didn't know what else to do. When he was gone she playfully hit Jake. "Why didn't you tell me your parents were King Charles and Queen Valerie?!"

Jake grabbed her shoulders. "I didn't want it to freak you out…it doesn't matter who I was back there."

"Yes it does. It's part of who you are." Mandy argued.

"That may be so, but I didn't want it to affect my relationship with you." Jake shot back.

Mandy was silent for a moment. "I understand…I didn't want it tell you about my past…"

"You can if you want…" Jake said wanting her to open up to him.

Mandy shook her head. "No, I really don't want to…maybe someday but not right now."

"I'll be here when you do." He smiled at her.

"Good to know." She said smiling as she wrapped her hands around his neck.

"So, are you okay with me being a Prince and all?" His hands resting on her waist.

"It'll take some time to get used to I suppose, but I think I can handle it."

He leaned down and kissed her softly. It was the first time she had been kissed since Peter but she didn't pull away from him. She stood on her tippy toes to deepen the kiss. She really liked Jake and didn't want to screw anything up.

* * *

Regina was arguing with her mother when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around, startled to see a familiar face she once talked to for several hours at a time. "Valerie." She whispered.

"I missed you, Regina!" She said hugging her.

Regina was surprised. "You did?"

Valerie pulled back. "Like crazy! I missed your visits to the palace. I thought I had done something to hurt your friendship."

"I was going through a tough time." Regina said not wanting to get into any details.

"Yes, I'm well aware…"

"I didn't think you wanted anything to do with me since I became the Evil Queen." Regina sighed.

"You're not evil, Regina. I know you. I know of the things you have done but you're still my friend." Valerie said.

Regina arched her eyebrows. "Are you sure? People still hate me…I don't want people to hate you as well just by association."

Valerie shook her head. "I don't care, I want my friend back." Regina gave her a soft smile. "And since our children are dating…"

"Jake is your son?" Regina asked surprised.

"Yes…is that a problem?" Valerie asked.

Regina smiled. "Not at all…it's terrific in fact."

"Why don't we have a seat? We need to get caught up." She suggested. Regina didn't argue. She wanted to reconnect with the only friend she ever had.

* * *

Mandy and Jake had moved to the hallway, a little bit down from the door that led to the party. They were sitting on a comfy, red couch. He held her head in his hands as he kissed her, hers were wrapped around his neck.

Jake pulled back, breaking the kiss. "Mandy?"

"Hmm?" She hummed.

"I don't know if you've noticed but I really like you…"

She giggled. "Just a little."

"Well I was wondering how you felt about me?"

Mandy's heart stopped. She wasn't' ready to be asked to reveal her feelings to him. "I really like you too." She smiled.

Jake smiled back. "Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Jake…"

"You don't have to say yes. Just know that I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes." Jake said looking deep into her eyes.

Mandy's heart and mind were racing. She wanted to answer him but no words were coming out.

"Mandy, are you alright?" Jake asked concerned that she was taking so long to answer him.

Mandy slowed her breathing so she could answer him. "Yes…I'll be your girlfriend."

Jake's eyes lit up." You will?" She nodded quickly. He pulled out a tiny box and handed it to her.

"What's this?" She asked taking the box from him.

"Open it." She did and it revealed a promise ring. It was the infinity symbol shaped out of two hearts with the engraving 'True Love is Magic'. She couldn't believe what she saw.

"It's for your birthday. I was going to give it to you regardless of whether you agreed to be my girlfriend or not. I really do like you, Miranda." Jake said as she continued to stare at it. "Do you like it?" He asked nervously.

"I love it!" She slipped it on before jumping into his arms. "Thank you."

He pulled her close to his face so he could kiss her. He kissed her long and hard. She loved every minute of it; it felt right…for her and Jake to be together. She didn't feel this way with Peter, it was different with Jake. Their kiss was interrupted by someone calling her name.

She turned around angry at whoever interrupted her perfect moment with Jake. "What Henry?" She growled.

"I need to talk to you." He said seriously.

"Now?!" Mandy asked aggravated.

"Yea, it has to happen now."

Mandy caught the uneasiness in his voice. "I'll be right back." She said to Jake before kissing him and then turned to join Henry around the corner of the hallway.

"What's wrong, Henry?" She asked.

"I'm worried about you." He admitted.

"Why?" She asked confused.

"I don't want you to turn dark. It's going to happen in a few hours, ya know." He said making sure she was aware of what time it was.

Mandy new it was going to happen soon. She had been receiving small urges throughout the night but didn't tell anyone. "I've been a little preoccupied this evening."

Henry crossed his arms. "Yea, I saw you two sucking face."

Mandy could hold in her laughter. "Well, I can't stop it from happening so I'm not gonna worry about it." She lied. Deep down she was scared to death of what would happen to her in a few hours but she didn't want to show it to Henry.

Henry knew she was just as scared as he was. He pulled out Regina's spell book he stole form her house earlier and began flipping through the pages. "What's that?" Mandy asked.

Henry found the page he was looking for and began blowing on the pages. The ink flew into Mandy's face. "What are you doing? Henry!" She yelled but was engulfed in a purple smoke. When the smoke disappeared, it revealed a small and scared little girl.

"Who are you?" The little girl asked shyly.

"Henry, what's yours? How old are you?" He asked.

"Corinne." She whispered. "I'm 5." Henry couldn't believe he was staring at the 5 year old version of Mandy.

"It's nice to meet you Corinne." He said sweetly as he bent down to her level.

"Are you friends with Jackson?" She asked hesitantly.

Henry remembered Jackson from Mandy's stories. He was her foster brother back in the Enchanted Forest. "No, I'm not. I'm your friend." He smiled.

"You are?" She asked shocked. He nodded. "I don't have friends."

"Now you do." He reached out to take her hand but she cringed, afraid he was going to hit her.

"Henry, what are you doing?" Emma asked from behind him.

Henry turned around quickly, shocked to his mother standing there. He fumbled with his words. He really didn't think his plan through all the way.

"Who's that?" She asked noticing the small girl behind him.

He still had the page open in the spell book. He didn't want to get in trouble so he blew on the pages once more as Emma became engulfed in the same purple smoke as Mandy had. When it cleared, he was staring at his 5 year old mother.

"Where am I?" 5 year old Emma asked looking around at the unfamiliar hallway.

Henry looked between young Emma and young Corinne. He didn't know what to do with two 5 year old girls, but he did know he was going to be in serious trouble.

**So the beginning was tough to write but I'm interested in what you all think of how they party is going so far. What do you think will happen next?! Review!**


	36. Chapter 36 Two Little Girls

Chapter 36: Two Little Girls

Henry couldn't stop staring at the two little girls. They were still dressed in their dresses they wore to the party but were more appropriate for a 5 year old. Jake noticed the purple smoke and decided to see what was going on.

"Henry, where are Mandy and Emma?" Jake asked when he rounded the corner.

"You're looking at em." Was all Henry could say.

"These two little girls…are Mandy and Emma?" He whisper yelled. Henry nodded. "But how?"

Henry held up the spell book. Jake put two and two together. "Could you go get the Blue Fairy for me?" Henry asked. "I'm hoping she can change them back before anyone else finds out."

"You better pray to God she can." He said before leaving.

"What's goin on? I don't know any of you." Emma shakily said.

Corinne also became trembling. "Me neiver. I scarewd."

Henry kneeled down to their level and tried to comfort them. "Everything's fine. Why don't you two get to know each other? You're both the same age, ya know."

Emma grabbed Corinne's hand and brought her over to a bench and started talking.

Jake came back with the Blue Fairy and explained everything to her on the way. "Henry, do you know how dangerous it is to use magic…especially when you don't know what you're doing?" Blue yelled.

Henry put his head down." I'm sorry. Is there any way you could change them back?"

Blue shook her head. "It's not that simple Henry."

He sighed. "It never is…"

"How long will they stay like that?" Jake asked wanting to know when he would have his girlfriend back to normal.

"Because Henry doesn't have magic, it shouldn't last long, a few days at best." She responded.

"A few days!" Henry yelled in shock. "But that means someone will have to take care of them…and people are going to wonder where they are."

"You're going to have to tell Snow, David, Regina and Cora." Blue informed.

"Yea…I'd rather not." Henry said shaking his head.

Blue argued. "You don't really have a choice Henry."

Henry sighed; he knew he had to tell them. "Fine."

"Well you're gonna have to find them first." Jake said motioning towards the empty bench the girls were once sitting on.

"Oh no!" Henry said with eyes wide. They all ran back into the party, their eyes eagerly searching the crowd of people.

"There they are!" Jake yelled pointing to the small pair on the dance floor.

Cora saw this scene unfold and she thought it seemed suspicious. Why would Henry, Jake and Blue be talking to those 2 little girls that she hadn't seen before until now. They were wearing similar dresses as Emma and Mandy and they were nowhere to be found. She brought this to Regina, Snow and David's attention.

"Henry, could you come here for a minute?" Regina called him over.

Henry gulped. He would have to tell them what he did and he knew he would get in trouble. "I think you should come with me." He said to Blue.

"Very well. Will you stay with them Jake?" She asked. He nodded and started dancing with the young girls.

He slowly made is way over to the four adults who were anxiously waiting for him. "You wanted to see me?" He asked with a forced smile on his face.

"Who were those 2 little girls you were just with?" Cora asked suspiciously.

"I haven't seen them around before." Snow added.

"Yea…" Henry diverted his eyes. "…about that."

"Spit it out, kid!" David barked.

Henry quickly blurted it out. "I stole mom's spell book and changed Mandy into the 5 year old version of herself. Emma caught me and I got scared…so I did the same thing to her."

They all stood there in shock. They couldn't believe what he did. Regina was the first to recover. "Henry what were you thinking?!" She snapped.

Henry put her hand up to stop her from talking. "Blue already yelled at me."

"Now I'm yelling at you!" Regina scolded. "You don't know anything about magic, Henry! You could've seriously hurt them, or yourself. This was the most irresponsible thing you have ever done."

Henry put his head down. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Why did you do it in the first place?" Snow asked.

"I didn't want Mandy to become dark. I thought if I made her younger, it wouldn't happen. I also did it because I know how much you wanted to raise Mandy and watch her grow up. She wanted to have you when she was younger so I thought it would help both of you." He turned to Snow and David. "And you two get to see Emma when she was little. I know you wanted that too."

Snow sighed. "Your intentions were in the right place, Henry, but magic was not the answer."

He nodded. "I realize that now. I'm sorry."

"They are going to need a place to stay and I'm assuming you all want to take them home with you." Blue said. They all nodded so Blue continued. "It shouldn't last long, a few days…but they don't know anyone here so they are a little shy and scared. They have their 5 year old memories."

"So they don't know any of us?" David asked for confirmation.

"Mandy will recognize people from our world but Emma will have no clue who anyone is." Blue said. "Now you have to remember, they didn't have the best childhood growing up. You can give them new memories, happy ones."

"Will they remember anything when they return to their normal state?" Cora asked.

"Shouldn't you know the answer Cora? It's your book." Snow said.

"I never used that spell, dear, so I wouldn't know how it works." She said bitterly to the pale younger woman.

"We will have to wait and see on that one." Blue said answering her question. "Mandy will have some trouble because this is not her normal world so everything will be foreign to her. She also has trouble pronouncing some words, so bear with her." She informed both Regina and Cora.

"What about Emma?" Snow asked.

"Emma should be fine. She grew up in this world so things shouldn't be too unfamiliar to her. She's had proper schooling so far so she's fine." She answered.

"Can we meet them?" Regina asked desperately wanting to see her daughter at that age.

"We will introduce you to them but I don't know how they will react, so brace yourselves." She said before signaling Jake to bring them over.

"Mandy goes by Corinne so you have to call her that." Henry reminded them. Regina rolled her eyes at the stupid name her mother gave her.

They both hid behind Jake as they walked closer to the adults. Henry walked over to grab Emma and Corinne's little hands, pulling them out from behind Jake. "Would you like to meet your parents?"

"Parents?...not foster parents right? Real parents?" Emma asked with hope in her eyes.

"Real parents." He confirmed.

Corinne tapped him on the shoulder. "Are you wying to me? Jackson used to do it aw da time."

"I'm not lying. Would you like to meet them?" He asked again. They both nodded. The parents couldn't help but notice how cute the girls were. They really wished they had the chance to raise them.

"Emma, these are your parents. " He said pointing to Snow and David.

"Your parwents are Snow White and Pwince Charming." Corinne asked Emma is shock.

Emma looked at her confused. "They aren't real. Those are fairytale characters."

Corinne didn't know why she didn't recognize them so she remained silent.

Snow and David bent down. "Hi Emma. I'm mommy and this is daddy." Snow said in a sweet voice.

Emma was unsure at first but walked over anyway. "Are you gonna keep me?"

"Of course we're going to keep you. We love you!" Snow said.

Emma's eyes lit up with excitement. "You love me?"

"We love you so much, Emma." David said. Emma jumped into her father's arms and Snow joined in on the hug.

"Corinne, this is your mommy." He said pointing towards Regina.

Corinne didn't move; she looked frightened. "But she's da Queen." She whispered to Henry.

Henry nodded. "She is the Queen, but she's also your mother. You were stolen from her when you were a baby." He told her. Cora glared at him, indicating he was telling her too much.

Corinne nodded but still didn't move. She had a hard time trusting people given her history. Regina knelt down, trying to make Corinne comfortable talking to her. "Hi sweetie."

Corinne waved at her but didn't say anything. Henry whispered in her ear. "Don't be scared of her. She's super nice."

Corinne nodded. She felt like she could trust Henry so she let go of his hand and took a few steps over to Regina. "Are you my mommy?" She asked shyly.

Regina nodded. "I am sweetie and I couldn't be happier!"

"Rweally?" Corinne asked with eyes wide. "Really!" Regina repeated. Corinne jumped into her arms and Regina stood up with her. "Where's my daddy?" She asked looking into Regina's eyes.

The questioned pained her. "He's not with us anymore, sweetie." She wasn't sure if Corinne knew what she was talking about, but was hoping she didn't have to explain it any further.

Corinne wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed her cheek. "I sowy mommy. I don't wants you to be sad."

Those words melted Regina's heart. "It's okay, baby. I'm happy now that you're with me."

Corinne smiled. "You're rweally pwetty mommy."

Regina let a small laugh escape her. "You are just too adorable for words, little one." She said putting her finger on Corinne's nose. "I would like you to meet someone." Regina turned around so Cora would come into view. "This is your grandmother."

"Hi gwama." Corinne said waving at her.

Cora laughed. "Hello my love." She said holding her little hand.

"Can I go pway wiff Corinne?" Emma asked her parents.

They nodded and David set her down just as Regina did with Corinne. They ran off to the dance floor and began spinning in a circle with each other and laughing.

Henry tried to sneak off with them but was caught. "Where do you think you're going, young man?" Regina asked in a motherly tone.

"Just playing with the girls…"

"You know you're grounded, right?" She asked him.

He put his head down. "Yea, I figured."

Snow and David were worried. This would be the first time they were going to be parents and raise their little girl, even if it was just for a few days, their dream would come true. Regina was worried Corinne wouldn't like her since things didn't go so well the first time around. The girls soon grew tired and slowly made their way over to their 'new' parents. David saw Emma coming towards him and quickly picked her up in one swift motion.

"I think someone's tired." He said noticing Emma's eye struggling to stay open. Snow went to find Henry so they could leave.

Corinne tugged on Regina's dress. "Mommy, I tired." She said rubbing her eyes.

Regina picked her up, her head resting on Regina's shoulder. "Mother, I think we better go now."

"Alright, dear." Cora was about to magic them back to the house but Regina stopped her.

"Wait!" Regina whispered so Corinne wouldn't hear. "I don't want Miran…I mean Corinne to see either one of us using magic."

"She's asleep, dear. She won't notice."

Regina looked down at the sleeping child in her arms. "Very well, mother. Continue."

Cora waved her hand and they were home in seconds. Regina brought her daughter to her room and quickly changed her with magic. Regina magically changed all of Mandy's clothes to a size that would fit Corinne. She tucked her in and kissed her head. She then went to get changed herself, for it had been a long night.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Regina heard someone crying and calling 'Mommy'. She then remembered her daughter was 5. She rushed into her daughter's room and saw her tossing and turning in her sleep and screaming. 'Mommy, help me!'

She quickly awakened the frightened little girl and held her close. "Shh, honey it was just a bad dream. You're safe. Mommy's got you." She said rocking Corinne back and forth trying to calm her down.

"I sowy I woke you. I didn't mean too." She said fearfully.

"Honey, it's okay. You don't have to apologize for needing me. It's what I'm here for." Regina said smoothing her hair away from her face.

"You never came before when I called you." She sniffled.

Regina realized she was referring to her time back in the Enchanted Forest. She pulled her daughter close and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry, I wasn't there baby. But from now on I will be."

Corinne sniffled again as her head rested on her mother's shoulder. "Pwomise?"

"I promise." Regina patted her back. "Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"No, I scared." She said still clinging to Regina.

"I'll stay with you." She offered.

Corrine pulled back to look at Regina's face. "Da whole night?" She asked shocked.

Regina smiled. "If you want me too."

Corinne clapped her hands. "Yay! Mommy's stayin!"

Regina laughed as she got under the covers with her daughter. She snuggled closer to Regina. "You smells good, mommy. Just wike I thought you would."

Regina smiled as she stroked Corinne's hair. "Thank you, darling. Now please try to get some sleep." She kissed her head. Corinne was silent the rest of the night and went to sleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

Regina awoke to an empty bed with Corinne nowhere to be found. She quickly jumped out of the bed and ran out into the hallway. "Corinne? Corinne?" She yelled.

"What's going on, dear?" Cora asked coming out of her room still in her night gown.

"Corinne's not in her room." Regina said panicked.

"She couldn't have gotten far, Regina." She said trying to calm her down.

They heard a loud crashing noise coming from the kitchen. Regina's eye's widened and they both quickly hurried down the stairs. Regina burst through the kitchen door to see the 5 year old standing on the counter and a bunch of broken plates on the floor.

"What are you doing up there, Corinne?" Regina kinda yelled.

Corinne jumped at the sound of her mother's sudden voice causing her to almost fall off, giving Regina a mini heart attack. "I swoy mommy. I was gonna make bweakfast for you and gwama."

Regina made her way over to her without stepping on any of the broken pieces. "That's nice of you, dear, but you could've gotten hurt." She said trying to hold her anger in.

Corinne was so used to seeing people angry at her so she could see it in Regina and soon became very nervous. "I rweally sowy. Pwease don't hit me! Pwease!" She begged as tears started rolling down her face.

Regina's heart broke. She couldn't believe her daughter would think she would hurt her. It was those stupid people who put this kind of fear in her daughter and she was pissed and sad that her daughter had to live in constant fear most of her childhood. She looked back at her mother who only shrugged her shoulders.

"I will never hurt you, angel. Can I help you down?" She asked softening her tone as she extended her arms.

Corinne sniffled and nodded so Regina picked her up and led her away from the broken glass on the floor. "Are you mad at me?" She asked nervously.

Regina shook her head. "I was worried you had gotten hurt. I don't want you doing any cooking unless you're with me or your grandma. Understood?"

Corinne nodded. "Don't worwy mommy. I not hurt." She kissed Regina's cheek.

Regina smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Can I pway wiff Emma today?" Corinne asked.

Regina was puzzled but remembered Emma was also 5 and they had become friends. "I'll give her mother a call." She said which made Corinne clap her hands in excitement.

* * *

Snow agreed to meet Regina and Corinne at the playground with Emma. Snow was sitting on a bench watching Emma play when they walked up.

"Hi Corinne. How are you?" Snow asked sweetly.

Corinne was shy so she hid behind Regina. "You know who I am?" She asked her eyes wide.

Snow looked up at Regina for an answer but she didn't have it. "Yes, I know you." She answered smiling.

Corinne looked up at Regina. "You're her mommy too, wight?

Regina looked to Snow for help but Snow was just as lost for words as she was. "Yes, but she's a big girl now and can take care of herself." She patted Corinne on the head. That answer satisfied her and she ran off to play with Emma. Regina was thankful she didn't ask any more questions.

"Nice save." Snow said approvingly.

Regina sat down and sighed. "Thanks."

"Tired?" Snow asked.

"I forgot how exhausting little kids can be." She replied.

Snow nodded in agreement. "They have so much energy; it's hard to keep up."

"I take it your night wasn't a restful one either?" Regina asked arching her eyebrows.

"Not at all. She was scared to be alone in her room. She thought there were monsters under her bed. Then she got into the pantry this morning. I had cereal all over my kitchen." Snow explained.

Regina laughed. It was the first time in ages Snow heard her genuine laughter and reveled in hearing it. "At least it wasn't broken dishes." She said.

Snow laughed as she looked at their little girls playing together. "Is it bad that I kinda want Emma to stay this age?"

Regina also looked at the girls. "No. I feel the same way." She said softly. A few minutes passed before Regina spoke again. "I'm sorry I took her away from you." She said without making eye contact with her stepdaughter.

Snow was surprised by her apology but knew how hard it was for Regina to say those words. She reached over to grab her stepmother's hand. "I sent her away, so it's my fault." Regina only nodded.

"I think we will be spending more time with each other until the spell is broken." Snow pointed out.

Regina agreed and pulled out her phone.

"What are you doing?" Snow asked.

"I'm not missing a second chance to get a picture of my daughter at this age." She said taking a picture of the girls going down the slide. Snow thought it was a good idea so she did the same thing.

Emma and Corinne were busy playing in the sandbox. "Do you wike your parents?" Corinne asked as she kept digging.

Emma thought about it as she filled up her bucket. "Yea, they're really nice. Do you like yours?"

"Better den my odder ones. I wike my mommy a lot." She answered as she helped Emma make a sand castle.

The sun that was shining down on them, quickly disappeared as a shadow of a huge man shaded them. The girls looked up when they saw the shadow.

"Emma run!" Corinne yelled.

They got up as quickly as they could and began running. One of them couldn't get away fast enough and Emma was caught.

"Let her go!" Corinne shouted at the older man.

"Get my mom, Corinne!" She managed to get out before the man covered her mouth with his hand. He picked her up as she tried to get free from his grasp.

Corinne ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. "Emma's mom! Emma's mom!" She yelled running over to them.

"What's wrong Mand..ugh Corinne?" Snow asked. It was weird calling her Corinne instead of Mandy.

"My foster dad gwabbed Emma! He's gonna hurt her like he does to me." Corinne grabbed Snow's hand pulling her up. "Come on!"

Snow's adrenaline was at a high when she saw the older man walking away with her little girl. "What do you think you're doing with my daughter?!" She yelled angrily. The man turned around and Regina, Snow and Corinne could see the fear in Emma's eyes.

"She's the one I meant to grab." He said pointing to Corinne. "But I grabbed this one instead." He said referring to Emma.

"Let her go!" Snow demanded.

"And what are you gonna do about it?" He asked knowing she wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Put her down…NOW!" Snow yelled.

She didn't scare the man. "I don't think so. If I can't harm that little brat" pointing to Corinne "Then her little friend will do."

Corinne tugged on Regina's pants, causing her to look down at her hysterical daughter. "You have to do something, mommy. He hurts when he hits me. It rweally hurts. I don't want him to hurt Emma." She pleaded as tears began to form in her eyes.

Regina stepped in front of Snow and took charge. "I'll give you one chance to let her go, or else!" She warned him.

"Or what?" The man asked not taking her threat seriously.

"You don't know who you're dealing with, do you?" Snow asked him with a smirk on her face.

Regina flung her hands out freezing the man in place and he instantly dropped Emma. Emma gasped as she hit the ground, not because she fell hard but because she didn't know how Regina was doing that. Snow put her hand on Regina's shoulder. "I think he gets it, Regina."

Regina did stop but she was still angry that this man had the balls to stand up to her. "Get out of here before I do something worse." She yelled forcefully. "And don't even think about harming one of those girls or you _will_ regret it." The man took off running.

Emma got up as quickly as she could and began running towards Snow. She picked up her daughter and held her close. She was trembling and Snow could feel the tears on her shirt.

"Snow, her knee is bleeding." Regina informed the younger woman.

Snow carried her over to the bench and sat her on her lap. "I don't have anything to stop the bleeding." Snow said worriedly as the blood seemed to keep seeping out.

Corinne climbed up next to Snow to check out her friend's injury. "I could heal it with magic, if you want." Regina offered as she whispered in Snow's ear.

"Will it hurt?" Snow whispered back to Regina.

"Not at all." She assured her.

Snow contemplated her offer. She didn't want Emma to be in pain so she agreed to let Regina heal her. Emma watched in awe as Regina waved her hand over her cut, making it disappear.

"Neat trick. How did you do it?" Emma asked in amazement.

Regina smiled. "Magic!"

"I always knew magic was real! I could feel it!" Emma exclaimed. Snow and Regina exchanged worried glances.

"How do you know, Emma?" Snow asked curious.

"Because I wished and wished to find my real parents and I did. My wish came true! That can only mean magic is real." She responded smiling up at her mother.

"Magic works in mysterious ways." Regina said.

"Thank you, Regina." Snow said softly.

"For what, dear?" She asked confused.

"For saving Emma. I don't know what I would've done if he took her." Snow admitted.

Regina shook her head. "I would never allow that to happen." She said offering a genuine smile. This reminded Snow of the time she saved her from the horse and she couldn't help but smile back.

The silence between them was getting too awkward for Regina; she was dying to get out of there. "Honey, we need to get back to grandma. Who know what trouble she's getting herself in to."

"Do we have to mommy? I'm havin fun with Emma." Corinne pouted in protest.

"Can Corinne sleep over?" Emma asked her mother.

Snow didn't know what to say. "It's up to Regina."

Regina glared at her. "Thanks Snow." She said sarcastically.

"Pwease mommy. Pwease!" Corinne begged as she gave her the puppy dog look

Emma saw what she was doing and thought she would help out. "Please, Corinne's mom. Please!" She pleaded also giving the puppy dog look.

Regina couldn't say no to their cute little faces. "You think you can handle two 5 year olds, Snow?" She smirked.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem with David and Henry's help." Snow replied.

"Alright. I'll bring her over around 6:30pm then." Regina said grabbing her daughter's hand and walking away.

**So let me know how this chapter went. The girls are gonna cause some trouble before they turn back. Review!**


	37. Chapter 37 The Sleepover

Chapter 37: The Sleepover

Regina dropped Corinne off at Snow's apartment at precisely 6:30pm, just as she said she would. Emma and Corinne ran up the stairs as quickly as they could. They had so much planned for that night. They started the night off with coloring and then they watched a movie. They grew bored of the movie Snow had chosen for them and began running around the apartment playing tag. Henry joined them when he saw how much fun they were having.

"Henry, you're not helping!" Snow yelled.

"But they're having fun!" He protested as he kept running.

"Girls, that's enough!" David yelled firmly. They both stopped and started wide eyed at him. "It's time to settle down." They both nodded, scared of what he would do if they didn't obey him.

They made sure they had everything they needed before tucking them in and shutting off the light.

Emma rolled on to her side. "Corinne, how does your mommy do magic?" She whispered.

"I dunno. I didn't knows she had it." Corinne whispered back.

"I wanna have magic." Emma pouted.

"Maybe you do. You wished for your mommy and daddy and it worked." Corinne reminded her.

Emma sat up quickly. "That's right! If I just wish hard enough maybe it will work."

"Twy it!" Corinne encouraged her.

Emma closed her eyes as tight as she could and wished really hard. "Now what?"

"Test it out. Make somethin appear." Corinne suggested.

Emma closed her eyes once more and wished a bunny would appear. Nothing happened. "It didn't work." Emma pouted.

"Let's twy togever." Corinne held out her hands for Emma to grab. They shut their eyes once more both wishing really hard for a bunny to appear. When they opened their eyes, they couldn't believe what they saw.

"Dats awot of bunny wabbits." Corinne said looking around the room.

"We did It! We did it!" Emma said jumping up and down. "Let's try something else. I want some smores."

"What's a smore?" Corinne asked.

"I can't believe you never had one! Grab my hand." Emma instructed. A bunch of smores appeared on the bed. "Dig in!"

They soon became very sticky and they had chocolate everywhere. "Let's go show my mommy!"

They ran down the stairs followed by all the bunnies.

"What's going on?" David asked when he saw them coming down the stairs with a bunch of bunnies.

"Where did all these bunnies come from…and why are you two covered in chocolate?" Snow asked when she saw how messy they looked.

"We had smores." Emma told her.

"Dey were rweally good!" Corinne said rubbing her tummy and licking her lips.

"Where did all these bunnies coming from?" Henry asked as he picked one up.

"Magic." The girls said in unison.

David and Snow looked at each in shock. "Magic? What do you mean magic?" Snow asked quickly.

"Watch mommy!" Emma said as she grabbed Corinne's hand. They saw their hands begin to glow and suddenly the room was covered in flowers.

Corinne was holding a glass of milk in her free hand. "I gots thirsty."

"Cool. Can you guys magic me a skateboard." Henry asked eagerly.

"Henry, don't encourage them." Snow scolded. "This isn't good David."

"Yea, I realize that." He said. "What are we gonna do?"

There was no time for Snow to answer him because the girls didn't seem to need each other anymore to do magic. They were running around the room making things appear and disappear. Snow and David tried catching them, but the girls would dodge them just in time. Corinne began pulling food out of the pantry, making a mess in the kitchen while Emma was having a pillow fight with Henry, making feathers fly all over the place. Snow and David just stared at each other; they knew they wouldn't be able to control them.

"That's it!" Snow finally said. She grabbed Corinne off the floor and picked Emma up carrying them towards the door.

"Where are you going?" David asked.

She opened the door and sighed. "Regina's."

* * *

Regina hurried down the stairs when she heard the doorbell ringing. She couldn't believe someone would be visiting in the middle of the night. When she opened the door she couldn't help but smirk.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Regina yelled at Snow then she got a good look at the younger woman who was covered in dirt. "What happened to you?"

"Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant drive over here." Snow responded walking into the house uninvited with the two girls following her.

"Why are they covered in chocolate?" Regina asked.

"They wanted smores."

"It looks like they got the smores everywhere _but_ their mouths." Regina smirked. "Couldn't handle them?"

"They were fine until they started using magic!" Snow hissed.

"They still have their magic?" Regina whisper yelled.

"Apparently so and my house is a mess." Snow exclaimed. "Can you control it?"

"A child with magic is very dangerous." Regina informed. "But two can be disastrous."

"They seem to be stronger together." Snow added.

Before Regina could say anything else, they heard a bunch of giggling and laughter coming from the living room. When they ran in, they saw both of them jumping on mini trampolines and throwing jelly beans at each other.

"How did these trampolines get here?" Regina said angrily.

"We did magic mommy, just wike you." Corinne said as she kept bouncing and shoveling a bunch of jelly beans in her mouth.

"So that's where they got the idea." Snow said realizing it was Regina who put the idea in their heads.

"Don't blame me. They would've figured it out eventually." Regina shot back. "Girls, you are not allowed to use magic, understood?"

"Why? It's fun!" Emma said.

"Because, Emma, you could get hurt." Regina replied.

"But I like magic." Emma countered. Regina waved her hand and the trampolines disappeared from under them, causing them to fall on soft pillows Regina placed instead.

"Hey, I was bouncing!" Emma glared at Regina.

"You can bounce your way to time out." Regina replied pointing to the bottom step.

Emma pouted. "Do I have to mom?" She asked Snow.

"You have to listen to Auntie Regina." Snow said as she pointed to the step as well. Emma slowly picked herself up, crossed her arms and stomped her way over to the bottom step.

"Auntie Regina?" Regina questioned Snow as she arched her eyebrow. Snow just shrugged her shoulders.

Corinne magicked the trampoline back and began bouncing while Emma was being yelled at. "Oh no! That goes for you too, young lady." Regina said when she noticed Corinne was bouncing again. She picked her up and placed her on the sofa. "You're in time out also. You are not allowed to move from this spot and you have to remain silent."

"But mom." Corinne started. "Don't fight me on this Corinne." Regina warned. Corinne fell silent and pouted.

"Why is there a child sitting on the stairs moping?" Cora asked when she came into the living room.

"Sorry we woke you Cora. Emma is in time out." Snow informed her.

"Mother, will you come into the kitchen. We need your help." Regina asked. They all went into the kitchen to discuss their situation without the girls hearing them.

"The girls still have their magic mother and we don't know how to stop it." Regina said.

"You can't just stop it." Cora said taking a seat.

"Okay, then how do we control it?" Snow then asked.

"Just keep doing what you're doing." She advised.

"That's it?" Regina said in disbelief. "Telling them not to use magic is going to work?"

"Probably not, but you can try." Cora said. "You're their parents, so do what you would do in any other situation."

"It's hard to believe there's nothing else we can do." Snow said.

"You better believe it, dear." Cora smiled. "I wouldn't worry too much. They seem to just have wishcraft."

"Wishcraft?" Snow asked confused at the term.

"Children's magic is different than adults. They want something so they wish for it to appear, hence the term 'wishcraft'."

"I think we still have to worry. What if they wish for a lion to appear, then where would we be?" Regina said angry at her mother for not taking this seriously.

"I'm sorry dear, it's is the middle of the night and I'm exhausted." Cora said resting her head in her hand and she leaned on the table.

"You think we're not?!" Regina shot back.

"So now what?" Snow asked.

"We talk to our kids." Regina said beginning to walk out of the room.

Snow quickly grabbed her arm. "Wait, Regina! What do we say to them? This is my first time actually reprimanding Emma."

"I'm sure you punished kids plenty of times when you were a teacher. What's so different now?" Regina asked.

"Because this is my daughter. I don't want her to hate me." Snow admitted.

Regina knew exactly how she felt. "I don't want Corinne to hate me either but we have to make sure our children are safe. That's why we are punishing them so they know right from wrong."

"I suppose."

"I recall a time when you disobeyed your father and was sent to your room. He told you that you weren't allowed to come to one of the balls we were throwing but you showed up anyway."

Snow laughed. "You remember that?"

"You were 14 and thought you could make your own decisions."

"Boy, did father really punish me that night." Snow said remembering the night.

Regina smirked. "You had it coming, dear. The things you were saying to him would make a pirate blush."

"Was I really that bad?" Snow asked in shock.

"I thought he was going to send you away, he was so mad." Regina laughed.

"Are you ladies done strolling down memory lane?" Cora interrupted. "Those girls aren't going to sit still forever."

"Right." Snow said before turning to look back at Regina. "Regina, would you talk to Emma? I don't know how to get through to her about not using magic because I don't have it…and I don't want her to hate me."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Fine. She already hates me as an adult, why not hate me while she's a child."

"I don't think she hates you, Regina. She just has trouble understanding your actions." Snow said.

Regina ignored her. "Take Corinne up to get a bath. I'll bring Emma up when I'm done talking to her."

Snow nodded and they both walked out of the kitchen. The girls weren't where they left them.

Regina sighed. "This isn't good."

Snow noticed the door to her study was slightly ajar and she could see movement inside. Snow pointed to it and put her finger to her lips, telling Regina to remain silent. They crept over to the door and pushed it open revealing a trashed room. Papers were thrown all over the room and there were drawings on the walls and Regina's desk. They both gasped.

"What in the world did you do to my office?!" Regina yelled.

"We decorated." Emma said as she continued to color on the wall.

"And we put da kittys in cute wittle oufits." Corinne added holding the orange cat up in the air who was wearing a bonnet and a nightgown of its own. The cat did not look happy.

"What are you covered in now?" Snow asked noticing Corinne was now dripping wet.

"Emma spilled juice on me by accident." She said petting the cat in her arms that was now also covered in chocolate from her night gown.

"Why don't we give you a bath now, Corinne." Snow suggested.

"Can my kitty come wit us." Corinne asked. "He's dirty too."

Snow sighed. "Come on…" She grabbed Corinne's free hand and pulled her along. "This should be interesting."

"Drop the crayon, Emma. RIGHT. NOW!" Regina said firmly.

Emma stood up to face her. "You don't scare me." She said putting her hands on her hips mimicking Regina's stance.

Regina smirked. She couldn't believe even as a child, Emma was standing up to her. "And why is that, dear?" She asked taking a few steps closer to the child.

"Because I have magic." Emma said also stepping closer to Regina.

"My magic is more powerful than yours, Emma. Do you really want to go against me?" She was now towering over Emma, which made Emma's confidence go out the window.

She put her head down not wanting to look at Regina. "No." She whispered.

"I just want to talk to you, Emma. Is that okay?" Regina asked softening her voice.

Emma looked up to her with watery eyes. "Are you mad at me?"

All the anger Regina had simply left her when she looked into Emma's eyes. The anger she had towards adult Emma didn't seem to carry over when she became a child. Regina sighed and grabbed her hand pulling her over to the desk chair. She sat down and placed Emma on the desk so they were face to face.

Regina took Emma's hands in hers. "I'm not mad, Emma. But I told you and Corinne not to use magic for a reason. I don't want either one of you to get hurt."

"Corinne used magic too. Why isn't she getting yelled at?" Emma whined.

"Your mommy took her to get a bath but I will be talking to her too." Regina told her.

Emma remained silent so Regina continued. "Magic isn't all good Emma. Sometimes it can be used for the wrong reasons."

"Like when Maleficent cursed Sleeping Beauty?" Emma asked.

Regina was shocked at the example she gave her but then remembered there was a movie that she probably had seen. "Yes, just like that."

"But she didn't win because good always wins!" Emma declared.

Regina rolled her eyes. "You sound just like Henry."

Emma giggled. "But Emma, do you understand why you can't use magic?" Regina asked.

"But I'm using it for good stuff like bunnies and smores." Emma protested.

"There's a time when and when not to use magic. You can't use it unless you ask your parents, or myself and we have to be there to supervise you. Okay?" Regina hoped she got through to her.

Emma nodded. "And you know it was wrong to get up from time out and trash my office by drawing on the walls and throwing my things around, right?" Regina asked.

Emma nodded again but didn't look at her. Regina lifted her chin to look her in the eyes. "Emma, I'm not mad. I just want you to be safe. So please listen to me next I tell you when and when not to do something."

"I'm sorry. Are you sure you're not mad?" Emma asked.

Regna smiled. "Not at all."

Emma held out her hands wanting to give Regina a hug. Regina was surprised but picked her up and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Auntie Regina."

"It's okay, sweetie. Now let's go get you cleaned up." She said trying to wipe the chocolate off her face.

* * *

After the eventful hour and a half trying to clean the girls, Snow and Regina finally got them to sleep. They were exhausted themselves and Snow happened to stay the night, falling asleep on the couch. It felt like she had only been a sleep for 5 minutes when she was awoken by Emma and Corinne yelling at her to wake up.

"What time is it?" Snow asked groggily.

Regina sauntered into the living room looking just as tired as Snow. "8 in the morning." She plopped down next to Snow.

"Why so early?" Snow whined.

"We hungwy mommy." Corinne said climbing up onto Regina's lap. "And you said I need you in da kitchen when I cook."

"We want pancakes." Emma said climbing between Regina and Snow.

"Is there anything else the princesses request?" Snow asked playfully.

"Can we have bacon too?" Emma added.

Regina chuckled. "Alright, we'll be in in a minute." She scooted them towards the kitchen.

"Are you ready for another eventful day?" Snow asked with her head back on the couch and eyes closed.

Regina sighed and she reclined in a similar position. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Is it different with a girl?" Snow asked turning towards the older woman.

"Much different. Henry didn't get into too much trouble." She tilted her head after she thought about it some more. "Then again there was only one of him and he didn't have magic."

Snow laughed. "We better get in there before they burn down your kitchen."

They both got up and made their way to the kitchen to find the girls already got the ingredients out for the pancakes and were sitting on the island.

"What did I tell you about waiting for me, Corinne?" Regina said angrily.

"You said not to cook without you, but we just got da stuff out." Corinne said.

"I meant you can't do anything in the kitchen unless an adult is with you." Regina corrected.

"Sorry mommy." Corinne said.

"Can we start now?" Emma asked. "I'm really hungry."

Once they got the batter all ready to go, Emma asked to lick the spoon. When she lifted it out of the bowl some of the batter fell onto Corinne's night gown. Corinne scooped out some with her hand and threw it at Emma, landing on her shirt.

"Hey!" Emma yelled. She flung what was on her spoon towards Corinne but hit Regina, landing in her hair.

"You did _not_ just throw that at me." Regina's mouth hung open in shock.

"Maybe I did." Emma shot back.

Regina dipped her hand into the batter and put some on Emma's nose. Emma tried licking it off her nose but it wasn't working out.

"Regina, I'm surprised at you." Snow said. "You're getting your kitchen all dirty."

"These two are the one's getting my kitchen dirty." Regina corrected.

Before Snow could reply she felt something slimy hit the side of her face. She looked over to find out who the culprit was. She looked at Emma who still had the spoon in her hand but she pointed to Corinne. Corinne put on a devious smile and threw another spoonful in Snow's direction.

"If that's how you wanna play…" Snow said and picked up some batter of her own and threw it at Corinne who laughed when it got in her hair.

They all broke out in a food fight, grabbing whatever they could get their hands on. After a few minutes they split into teams. Team Mills against Team Charming. The pairs were hiding on either side of the island as they made their plans. Regina jumped up and threw an egg, hitting Snow right in the face. Snow and Emma decided to do a sneak attack. They ran around to the Mills side and began throwing everything they had at them. They tried throwing things back at them but Team Charming was just too quick.

"We give up! We give up!" Regina shouted trying to cover Corinne from the food bring thrown at them. Everyone was covered in all kinds of food.

"Is the Queen finally surrendering?" Snow asked with a smirk on her face.

Regina stood up, her face inches from Snow's. "You may have won the battle, Snow, but you haven't won the war."

"We'll see about that." Snow replied without flinching.

Regina smiled. "Until next time, dear."

Emma patted both older women's legs getting their attention. "I'm still hungry."

"All I have is cereal now." Regina replied.

"Do you have Fruit Loops?" Emma asked eagerly.

"I just might." Regina replied looking in the cabinet for the box of Fruit Loops. "Found some. Corinne, would like a bowl?"

Corinne shrugged her shoulders not knowing what Fruit Loops were. "I guess."

* * *

After they finished eating and getting washed up, Regina declared it was quiet time much to Snow's delight. The girls on the other hand had other ideas.

"Nahh. I don't wanna do that." Emma protested.

"Dats no fun, mommy. Let's pway anover game!" Corinne said clapping her hands.

"No. No more games until quiet time is over." Regina reinforced.

They both pouted trying to get out of it but Regina wasn't budging this time. "Go lie down girls."

They both made their way up the stairs and into Corinne's room.

Regina sat down and let out a long sigh. "You know you could help out anytime…" She said to Snow on the other side of the couch.

"You seem to be doing a pretty good job. I didn't want to interrupt." Snow replied.

Regina frowned. "We're not co-parenting Snow…although it certainly feels that way." She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the couch.

"I'll make sure I speak up from now on." Snow also closed her eyes.

"That's all I'm asking." They both soon drifted off to sleep. They were both exhausted. The girls snuck down the stairs at out the front door. They skipped down the block and eventually found themselves outside of Granny's. They decided to go in which earned them a bunch of stares from the customers.

"Let's sit over here." Corinne said as she climbed up into one of the booths and Emma followed.

"What are you girls doing here?" Ruby asked.

"Just visiting." Emma said.

Ruby arched her eyebrows. "And do your mothers know you're here?"

"Mmhhm. They dropped us off." Emma lied.

"They dropped two 5 year olds off and left them here alone?" She asked in disbelief.

"You don't beweive us?" Corinne asked playing along with Emma's lie.

Ruby knew they were lying but decided to just play along. "Alright, well have fun." She left them alone but was going to keep an eye on them for 15 minutes before calling Snow and Regina.

"Gwab my hands Emma." Corinne said. Emma knew she wanted to use magic and she did too so she complied. After their hands stopped glowing they looked down to see if their wishes had come true. It did. There sat a puppy staring up at them and Emma had bubbles sitting in front of her. Emma starting blowing bubbles and the puppy began trying to catch them in his mouth and barking.

"Ruby, where did that dog come from?" Granny asked her when she came out from the back.

"It wasn't here two minutes ago. I have no idea." Ruby shrugged her shoulders.

"Well get rid of it." Granny ordered.

David burst through the doors of the Mills mansion, shouting Snow's name. He went into the living room to find both women passed out on the couch.

He clapped his hands loudly and yelled, "Wake up!" Both women jolted awake looking around confused.

"David, what are you doing here?" Snow asked when she finally realized her husband was standing in front of them.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I thought you were going to come back after you got the magic thing under control." David yelled.

"Well we haven't gotten it under control and the girls have been getting along really well." Snow replied.

"If making a mess of my house is your version of 'getting along' then yes, they are best friends." Regina said rubbing her neck.

"Well I would like to spend some time with my 5 year old daughter while I still have the chance. Where is she?" He demanded more than asked.

"They are taking a nap upstairs, David." Snow informed.

"No they're not." Cora said descending the stairs.

"What do you mean? We sent them up over an hour ago." Regina said.

"Well they're not up there anymore, dear." Cora replied.

"Where are they? We need to find them!" Snow said panicked. As soon as she finished speaking, the phone rang. Regina quickly picked it up.

"Hello?"

"_Regina, get your ass down here along with Snow's and get your children out of my restaurant!"_

"How did they get there?"

"_Who the bloody hell knows just get them outta here! They are wreaking havoc causing my costumers to leave. Did you know they have magic?"_

"They're using magic?!"

"_A lot of it. No one can stop them. So get your ass down here!"_

Regina hung up the phone. "We're going to Granny's."

**More trouble to follow. I hope you liked this chapter as much as I did writing it. Probably one more chapter of them being kids so if it's not your thing, just bear with me for the time being. Things will pick up once they change back.**


	38. Chapter 38 Seeking Comfort

**Total filler chapter, not gonna lie. I just don't know how the hell it got so long.**

Chapter 38: Seeking Comfort

"Shit! I literally just stepped in shit!" Granny yelled. "Where is that stupid dog?"

"That's not dog shit." Ruby informed. "That's donkey shit."

"When did a donkey get into my diner? Without me noticing?"

"When you were on the phone with Regina." Ruby said nonchalantly.

"They better get here pretty fucking fast. This is ridiculous." Granny exclaimed.

"You said a bad word!" Emma shouted from across the room.

"And I'll say it again too if it means you'll leave my diner!" Granny shouted back.

Suddenly, the room became filled with multiple versions of Emma and Corinne. They couldn't tell which were the real ones. Wishes were being granted left and right and the room was out of control. They have already eaten globs of food ranging from burgers to a double fudge chocolate cake and were on a sugar high right now.

The four burst through the front door to see chaos has certainly erupted and they desperately needed to fix it.

"Shit!" All the Emma's said. "Fuck" All the Corinne's said when they saw the group walk in.

The adults were taking by surprise at the language the two 5 year olds were using.

"Corinne! Don't you _ever_ use that word again, young lady!" Regina scolded although she had no idea which one she was talking to.

"Emma. This isn't funny. You need to stop using that language and come here at once." David demanded.

A pie came out of nowhere and hit David directly in the face. "Well this isn't working." He said wiping the cream from his face.

"How do we figure out which ones are real?" Snow asked.

"I have an idea but I feel bad about doing it." Regina admitted.

"Well what is it? We can't just let this continue…" David said.

"It's kinda mean though." Regina said.

"Come on Regina we don't have all day." Her mother said aggravated.

Regina sighed before explaining her half thought out plan. "We have to pretend like we are going to leave them all alone. That we're abandoning them."

"That's so cruel! I don't think I could do that to Emma…again." Snow said.

"Regina do you know how messed up that sounds?" David asked angrily.

"I know but it's the only plan we got…unless you have something different?"

"I do, actually." He said before taking a step in front of them. "Girls! I want the original Emma and Corinne to come forward. This is unacceptable behavior!"

Another pie came hurdling towards his face. He turned around licking his lips. "Okay Regina, proceed."

Regina then took charge. "I guess Emma and Corinne like it better here and would rather be alone than with us." She said loudly so everyone in the room could hear but she made it sound like she was just talking to the three adults by her.

Cora caught on to her little game and played along. "Yes, they don't want to be with their families. They don't need us." She said I the same tone her daughter was using.

"I guess we better go now seeing they don't want anything to do with us…" Snow said before they all turned to leave the diner.

"Emma, dey are leaving without us!" Corinne whispered to the real Emma. Emma could see the panic on her friends face as her own fear set in.

"No wait!" She called out. The adults smiled before turning around.

"What is it?" Cora asked.

"I want to be with you!" "Me too!" They heard shouts form the middle of the pack but they still didn't know which is which.

"Well the only way to be with us is if there is only one Corinne and one Emma…but seeing that there are multiple versions of you, I don't think that's possible." Regina said and started to turn before they heard a voice answer her.

"We can change back!" The Emma's yelled.

"You would have to make everything else go away too." Snow pointed out. "The Donkey, the dog, the mess you made, everything."

"Right now?" The Corinne's asked.

David nodded. "Right now."

Emma and Corinne looked at each other to make sure they were on the same page. They held hands and closed their eyes. Everything they had once wished for disappeared, leaving the pair in the middle of the room. They peaked open their eyes to see the four grown-ups staring at them.

"Girls, what did we say about using magic?" Regina asked angrily.

"That we had to ask one of you before using it and that you had to be here." Emma answered.

"And did you do either one of them?" Snow asked with a slight softener voice than Regina used.

They both put their heads down and replied in unison. "No."

"We have to punish you both." David said loudly.

Corinne started crying quietly. "Dey not gonna take us home, Emma. Dey gonna leave us here alone."

Emma was just as upset as Corinne was. "I don't wanna be alone again. Don't leave us here, please!" She begged tears rolling down her face.

"I can't do this anymore Regina. Their faces are breaking my heart." Snow whispered to the older woman. "You don't want to do it either. I can see the pain on your face."

She hated that this woman could see through the façade she always had on. She walked over to her daughter and bent down to her level. "Are you going to listen to mommy from now on?"

Corinne nodded vigorously as she tried to hold back sobs. "Good. Do you want to go home with me and grandma?"

Corinne wrapped her arms around Regina's neck, almost knocking her over. "I sowy mommy. I be good. I pwomise. Pwease don't leave me here."

Regina held her close. "Don't worry. You're coming home with me." She began rubbing small circles on her daughter's back trying to calm her down.

"So you don't hate me?" Corinne asked through sobs.

"I could never hate you, angel." Regina replied and kissed her head.

"My tummy hurts mommy." Corinne whispered in her ear.

"That's because you ate too much, honey." Regina replied still trying to soothe her upset child. "I'll make it better when we get home." She promised.

"You're too easy on her, Regina." Cora said.

"She's my child. I will deal with her the way I want…and right now I just want her to feel safe. Something she has never felt during her childhood." Regina whispered angrily to her mother.

"She needs to learn right from wrong, Regina." Cora argued.

"She's going to turn back soon so there's really no point now. I'll punish her then." Regina replied hoping to shut her mother up.

"Are you gonna leave me here?" Emma asked looking up to her parents with watery eyes.

"No, Emma we are not going to leave you but you need to listen to us." Snow replied picking her daughter up.

"Will you be a good girl from now on?" David asked.

"I will. I'm sorry."

"That means no more magic. None." David reminded.

"No magic." Emma agreed.

"Where did you hear those bad words?" Snow asked both of them.

The girls pointed to Granny. "They were driving me up the wall and I'm not babysitter." She argued.

"You could've refrained from using such vulgar language around the kids though, Granny." Snow argued back.

"Sorry, Snow. Kids are not my forte." Granny replied.

"Don't _ever_ let her babysit!" Ruby exclaimed.

* * *

Mandy woke up with a splitting headache. She realized she was wearing footy pajamas and had no idea what happened. She made her way downstairs to find Regina drinking coffee at the kitchen table.

She slid into the seat next to Regina, holding her head. "Why do I feel like I've been beat up? I'm so exhausted."

"You don't remember?" Regina asked.

"Remember what? I remember yelling at Henry and then…." The events of the past few days replayed in her head but it felt more like a memory from long ago rather than form the last few days. "Wait, did Henry change me into a little kid?"

"A 5 year old. You were so adorable. Wait until you see all the pictures I took." Regina said happily.

"So that means…" She said realizing that Regina had seen her when she was a fragile child covered in bruises.

Regina knew what she was thinking. "Yes, I saw the bruises. I saw how scared you were but I feel like I made it better, even if it was just a little bit."

"I didn't want you to see me like that." Mandy said looking down at the table.

"I thought you wanted me to raise you?" Regina asked confused.

"Yea I did but from the beginning not in the midst of the worst years of my life. I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

Regina put her hand over Mandy's. "I'm glad I did because I took you away from the pain you felt, just for a few days you felt loved. You were so happy. You made me exhausted but I would do it all over again if that meant you were happy."

Mandy smiled. "I remember trashing your study with Emma. That was funny."

"That reminds me…you have to clean that up." Regina said getting up from the table to put her mug in the sink.

"What?" Mandy asked shocked.

"You heard me."

Mandy got up and followed her to the sink. "But it wasn't my fault. I was little and didn't know better and Emma did it too."

"You didn't listen to me when I put you in time out and told you not to use magic. You knew better and so did Emma. Don't worry, she will be helping you with the clean-up."

"And how are you gonna make her clean it up?" She asked crossing her arms not believing she would be able to do it.

"I already talked to Snow. You better go get dressed." She turned to exit the kitchen but was still followed by her daughter. "I don't have clothes that fit me anymore, thanks to you."

"I'll fix it, calm down." Regina replied as she walked up the stairs.

"Did I say anything to you when I was 5?" She asked as she walked up the stairs behind her mother.

"Like what, dear?" Regina asked walking into her daughter's room.

"Anything about my life with the Randells?"

Regina stopped and quickly turned around. "Did something else happen, something you're not telling me?"

"No, of course not! I just…I don't know." She said frustrated. "Like anything to upset you? Cuz I didn't mean too."

There were some thing that the 5 year old version told her that did indeed upset her but she didn't want Mandy to know and she knew Mandy wouldn't want her to know either so it was best to keep it a secret. "You had a bad nightmare and were surprised I came in to comfort you."

"Oh yea, I remember now…When I had nightmares back then I would wake Mr. and Mrs. Randell. They weren't too happy about being woken up, especially by me so when you came in I thought you were going to punish me like they used to do." She said trying to explain herself. "I'm so glad you came though."

"Honey, I know how hard it is for you to talk about your past and I really appreciate that you are opening up to me. Didn't you say you had to tell me something but it had to wait until after the party?" Regina was dying to know what it was her daughter had to tell her.

"You know, I really should start cleaning that study of yours. If I remember correctly, we left it a mess." She said opening her closet to find some clothes.

"You're only getting out of it this time because I want my study clean, but we will have this conversation later." She promised.

"Okay." She said solemnly.

* * *

Emma and Mandy were on the hands and knees cleaning Regina's study.

"I can't believe we made this mess." Mandy said as she scrubbed the desk trying to get the drawings off.

"I can't believe Snow made me come here and clean it up." Emma said picking up all the papers from the floor.

"So you were gonna let me do all the cleaning while you got away scot free? That's not fair." Mandy complained.

"Ugh…I hate when you and Henry always point stuff out."

"Because we're usually right?" Mandy smirked.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yea, it's so annoying."

"Do you even remember the shit we did? We were freaking crazy!" Mandy exclaimed.

"We had a ball together. We got into so much trouble….it was well worth it though, don't ya think?" Emma asked.

"Absolutely! I've never had so much fun at that age...and I had a friend to share it with which made it 10 times better."

"I feel the same way kid." As she bent down to pick up more papers she realized something. "Wait a second, I remember getting a bath…with you…and Regina was there."

"Yea, so was Snow." Mandy reminds her.

"Doesn't that freak you out…even just a little?"

"Well now that you put it in my head, yea it's freaky."

"How are we doing in here?" Regina asked checking the progress they were making.

"Oh shit." Emma louder then she meant it to be.

"What's the matter Ms. Swan? Are you remembering a few things? Like when you were dying for me to pick you up and hug you?"

Emma did indeed remember that and she wanted to hit her younger self right in the face. "I also remember you being nice to me, almost like you didn't hate me anymore."

"I don't hate you Ms. Swan. I simply tolerate you, that is all." She said in a low voice. "You've been in here for an hour and it looks like you haven't done a blessed thing."

"I finished scrubbing the walls, mother." Mandy argued. "I'm working on the desk now. Sorry, we're not quick enough for you."

"And I've picked up god knows how many papers and got the stain out of your carpet…you're welcome." Emma said angrily and she picked up more papers.

"Well, hopefully you're done in an hour or you won't get any cake." She said as she started to walk out.

"Cake?" They asked in unison.

Regina turned back. "It amazes me how you both respond to food, especially dessert."

Emma was about to say something smart back but Mandy spoke first. "Why is there cake?"

"For your birthday. You never got to blow out your candles." Regina reminded.

"Oh yea, forgot about that. Thanks for the party by the way…I had a lot of fun."

"You mean before we got turned into 5 year olds?" Emma added.

"No, the entire time I had fun." Mandy smiled. "You know, right before the whole Henry debacle, Jake asked me to be his girlfriend."

"He did?!" They both asked.

"What did you say?" Regina asked taking a few steps into the room.

"I said yes of course!"

"I'm so happy for you, dear!" Regina said giving her daughter a hug.

"That's great, kid. Henry told me you two were all over each other before he interrupted." Emma said before she realized she shouldn't have said that in front of Regina. Mandy gave her a death stare that reminded her all too well of the looks the former mayor used to give her when she arrived into town.

Regina arched her eyebrows. "All over each other?"

"We didn't go past first base, calm down mom!" Mandy defended.

"Are we going to have to have a little talk?" Regina asked still not believing her.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "No, mom and can we not talk about _this _now?!"

"Sorry I brought it up, kid. I didn't mean too." Emma said.

"Fine. Finish cleaning and then we are having a long talk later…understood?" Regina asked holding her chin so she was paying attention.

Mandy nodded. "I know. I really have to talk to you."

"I know, baby." She kissed the top of Mandy's forehead. "Emma, let's go! The papers won't pick themselves up!" She yelled.

"Sorry, your majesty." She said sarcastically before Regina walked out.

"How the hell does she go from loving mother to a total bitch in less than half a second?" Emma asked out loud.

"You like fighting with her, don't deny it." Mandy said as she returned to scrubbing the desk.

Emma thought for a moment. "Yea, I guess you're right. It gives me something to do."

Mandy laughed. "Can we hurry up? I really want cake."

"Sure, kid. I'm dying to have a piece too." She admitted.

* * *

She was surrounded by the people important to her, Regina, Cora, Snow, Emma, David, and Henry as they all sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. Mandy was surprised that her mother let the Charmings into her house.

"Happy Birthday, dear Miranda. Happy Birthday to you" They all sang.

"Make a wish, dear. Blow out the candles!" Cora exclaimed.

Mandy just stared down at the 16 lit candles.

"What's wrong, dear?" Regina asked when her daughter didn't blow out the candles.

"If I blow them out, it makes it official." She said still not looking away from the candles.

"Makes what official?" Snow asked.

"Her powers." Henry said. "One will take over."

"Are you even sure it will be the dark side?" Emma asked.

Mandy nodded. "I feel pulled that way. I felt it the night of the party."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Regina asked.

"I didn't want to ruin the party and I thought maybe if I didn't think about it, it wouldn't happen." Mandy admitted.

"So what's going to happen?" David asked but no one responded.

Mandy decided it didn't really matter because she already felt like she was on the dark side. She blew out the candles and went to her room, without having a piece of cake.

* * *

Once Regina got everyone to leave, she went straight to her daughter's room and knocked on the door. She slightly opened it seeing Mandy rolled up in a ball facing the window. "Honey, can we talk now?"

"Sure." She replied not moving from her spot.

Regina crawled onto the bed and patted Mandy's shoulder, indicating she wanted Mandy to turn around and face her.

Mandy did more than that. She moved closer to Regina, letting her wrap her arms around her. She wished she could just stay like that forever, safe in her mother's arms, but she knew it was too good to be true.

Once she got settled, Mandy spoke first. "I don't want to talk about the whole powers thing, okay? At least not right now."

"Well then we are going to talk about Jake." Regina said.

"What about Jake?" She asked.

"Are you two…serious? Like intimate?" Regina asked wanting to know what her daughter was exactly doing with this boy.

Mandy leaned up quickly and turned to look at her mother. "What? No! Of course not! I already made that mistake, I wouldn't do it again. How could you even think that?" She yelled.

Regina put her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry. I'm just making sure you aren't rushing things."

Mandy put her head down ashamed she freaked out. "I'm not even ready to have sex yet."

Regina pulled her back down to rest her head on her chest once more. She liked having her daughter close to her. "You don't know how relieved that makes me feel." She whispered in her ear.

Mandy giggled. "I said 'yet'."

Regina sighed. "I know it's inevitable…just make sure you're ready and use protection."

"Oaky, this conversation is getting weird. Can we _please_ change it?!" She begged.

Regina laughed. "It's awkward for me too, ya know, to talk to you about sex and protection."

"All the more reason to change it!" Mandy exclaimed. "And can you not say those words, please!"

Regina furrowed her eyebrows. "What? Sex and protection?"

"YES! Now stop saying them!" Mandy shrieked. It amused Regina that it bothered Mandy so much when she said those words.

"Then why don't you tell me what it is that had to wait until after the party?" Regina asked.

"Oh right, that." Mandy said as her face saddened once again but then turned serious. She sat up to look at Regina. "You need to brace yourself, like a lot."

"You're scaring me." Regina said when she saw how serious her daughter was being.

"This will probably hurt you and believe me, it's the last thing I want to do." Mandy said.

"Miranda, just tell me!" Regina urged. Mandy grabbed Regina's hands, thinking it would help her mother deal with what she was about to tell her.

"I was so miserable and in so much pain after I found out I lost the baby, I couldn't take it anymore. I had lost everything, Peter, my baby. I was a complete mess. When I finally got home, I got into the bath. I didn't want to be here anymore, to live anymore." Regina gasped. Mandy paused for a moment to let her mother comprehend what she just said before continuing. "I held myself under the water until I lost consciousness. I found myself talking to Peter. We talked briefly but he had to go get our son. Another person came to talk to me though."

Mandy saw the tears Regina was desperately trying to hold back. She knew the mention of Daniel would definitely make them spill over. "Daddy was the one to convince me to come back. He said you needed me." Regina's tears did in fact begin to spill over. Mandy began to cry as well. She felt horrible for putting her mother through this. "I realized I couldn't do this to you. I've spent way too much time wanting you, to throw it all away now. I love you so much mom, you have no idea. I don't know what I was thinking, I was being selfish."

Regina was speechless. She had no idea what to say, she had a million things running through her head but nothing was coming out of her mouth. She pulled her daughter close to her, closer than she has ever done. She didn't want to let her go, not after she found out she had almost lost her. Mandy didn't fight her, she knew Regina needed to hold her close and let everything sink in. She let her mother sob onto her shoulder. She wanted to comfort her mother the way Regina did to her when she was upset. She started rubbing small circles on her back, which seemed to help Regina catch her breath a little.

Regina pulled back to look into her daughter's eyes. "I didn't know you felt like the only way out was to kill yourself." Regina whispered finally bringing herself to say something.

"I didn't want to tell you but it will never happen again! I promise. I feel like I can tell you everything now." Mandy said softly holding her mother's hand.

"What did Daniel say exactly? I need to know." Regina said searching her daughter's eyes for something, anything.

Mandy took a deep breath trying to remember what he had said. "He said that you needed me and would be lost without me. He said things would get better with time. I told him I wanted to be with him but he said we will be together again but I had to go back to you. He told me to take care of you…and I've been doing a terrible job."

"It's my job to take care of you not the other way around...and I have failed you." Regina said sadly.

Mandy grabbed her mother's chin to get her attention just like Regina did to her. She stared directly into her eyes hoping to get through to her. "No you haven't. You've been here for me since I met you and you've taken great care of me. I love you with all my heart, mom. Please believe me when I say you mean the world to me and I didn't mean to hurt you intentionally. I am truly sorry for all the pain I had caused you." She kissed her mother's check hoping it would help.

Regina let out a long sigh, tears still flowing steadily and pulled her daughter close to her once more. She wanted nothing more to have physical contact with her, to make sure she was real and with her at that exact moment. "I love you to the moon and back, darling. Please don't leave me again. Your father was right, I would be lost without you. I need you. I need you with me."

Mandy moved a little closer to her mother, if that were even possible, she was practically sitting on top of her. "I know you do…and I need you just as much." She said wiping away her mother's tears.

Regina laughed at how silly she probably looked. "I feel as if the roles are reversed tonight."

Mandy smiled. "I finally get to help you through something…even though it's my fault in the first place. You can talk to me about anything, you know that right?"

"Now you're sounding like me." Regina pointed out. "And I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"I'd say it's a good thing." Mandy kissed her check once more. She wanted to make sure her mom felt how much she loved her, especially tonight.

Regina loved all the affection she was getting from her daughter but she couldn't help fight the knowledge that her daughter _wanted_ to die. "Honey, I'm going to go get changed." She said untangling herself from the teenager.

"Was it something I said?" Mandy asked worriedly. "I don't want you to be alone tonight." She knew her mother was still upset.

Regina smiled knowing her daughter really worried and cared about her. "No sweetie. Trust me; I'm not letting you go anytime soon. I'll be back, you can count on it."

Regina sat on her bed facing the window. She couldn't let her daughter see her break down completely. It took everything she had not to. She couldn't believe her daughter wanted to kill herself but she was more mad at herself. Mad that she didn't see what was truly going on with Miranda. She put her face in her hands and began sobbing.

Miranda was wondering what was taking her mother so long to rejoin her so she decided to take a walk down the hall to Regina's room. She heard sobs coming from the room so she cracked the door just a little to see what was going on.

Regina looked up to the ceiling. "Oh Daniel, how did you know I needed Miranda here with me? You always knew what to do, when my mother made me upset or when something was bothering me, you always knew how to make it better. I just wish you were here now, to tell me what to do with her because I don't know if I'm raising her right. I need you to tell me everything will be alright, just like you used to. I miss you so much, Daniel. Words cannot express the loss I feel every time I think of you. I want to hold you in my arms, to feel your soft lips on mine." She let a huge sob escape her.

Mandy never saw her mother break down like this before, she wanted to go in there and wrap her arms around her mother but she knew it wouldn't do any good, she wasn't her father even though she has half of him inside her, it wouldn't be the same.

"I wish you could see her, Daniel. She reminds me so much of you, and I love her even more because of it. She has your eyes, your laugh. She's incredibly smart, just like you. We have a terrific daughter, I just wish you could see her."

Regina needed Daniel, and Mandy knew her mother would feel this way forever so she decided to do something about it. She knew then and there what she needed to do the next day and that included stealing from Gold.

**I had trouble writing the end to this chapter without tearing up. I know the beginning and middle was kinda slow but come next chapter….well you're just gonna have to wait:) What do you think Mandy's gonna do?**


	39. Chapter 39 The Lovely Land of Oz

Chapter 39: The Lovely Land of Oz

Mandy slowly untangled herself from Regina's hold and slipped out of the bed unnoticed, leaving her mother sleeping peacefully in her bed. She knew Gold wouldn't be in his shop yet, for the sun was just rising.

Once inside the shop, she began rummaging through every drawer and cabinet looking for the one thing that could help her bring her father back. After an hour of searching, she still couldn't find it and Gold would be coming in soon. She was growing frustrated so instead of putting things back where they belonged, she left everything on the floor. She knew he had what she was looking for; she retrieved the item herself many years ago.

In one of the drawers she found there was a secret compartment hidden within the drawer. She couldn't get it unlocked though; it was protected with a barrier spell. She had a feeling it wouldn't be strong since no one knew about this item and he probably forgot that she was the exception. She removed the spell with little trouble and pulled out what she had been looking for all along.

She stared down in amazement at the book she retrieved from Oz, all those years ago. "The Grimmerie!"

She ran all the way to Regina's mausoleum and straight into the room that held the bodies of her father, Daniel and her former love, Peter. Many feelings resurfaced when she saw Peter's body. She wanted to be back with him and thought about bringing him back instead. She was very conflicted for she knew if she wanted everything to work out without any trouble, she could only bring back one. She sat on the floor against the wall, looking over the foreign language that covered the pages within the Grimmerie. She wanted to make sure she got the spell exactly right so she practiced saying the words out loud.

* * *

**Oz: Pre-curse**

Rumple told her to meet a man that could bring her to this world, Oz they called it. His name was Jefferson and they traveled together for they were on a similar mission. She was to retrieve the Grimmerie from the Wicked Witch of the West and he was to obtain the Ruby Slippers from the Wicked Witch of the East.

"Well, little girl this is where we part ways." Jefferson said when they reached a section in the Yellow Brick Road that had many different paths one could follow.

"I'm not a little girl, I'm 13!" She yelled placing her hands on her hips. She reminded him of someone but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Fine, young lady." He corrected himself. "Once you get the book, meet me in the Emerald City. We have to leave together."

"It's not like I can go back without you." She said rolling her eyes.

"Well, good luck. Hope you don't die." He said before taking the right path.

"Thanks." She said sarcastically taking the left path.

She had been walking for days, resting only at nights for a few hours. She didn't sleep much the night before and soon grew tired. She found a cute little town and decided to rest for a bit. She soon regretted her decision when a whole bunch of little people came out crowding her. "What the hell?"

"We wish to welcome you to Munchkinland!" They all shouted.

"Munchkinland?" She repeated. "Just what I need, a bunch of little people annoying the shit out of me!"

"We don't get many visitors…" The mayor of Munchkinland said.

"That's because you harass your visitors." Corinne replied before the mayor could finish his sentence.

"Why do you come here?" A little munchkin asked.

Corinne stood up; she started to feel suffocated with everyone crowding around her. "I'm just passing through, so you can all go back to whatever it is you all do." She said shooing them away.

They didn't move back, if anything they moved closer. She couldn't take it anymore. She flew her hands out, knocking them all down.

Once the mayor stood up he yelled, "We are calling the Witch of the North! She'll know how to handle you…you and your dark magic!"

Corinne smiled. "Okay, let me know when she gets here." She laid back down on the grass, put her hands behind her head and closed her eyes. She could careless who they called, she was tired and wanted a nap so a nap she shall have.

"LOOK! It's Glinda!" A munchkin boy yelled making Corinne sit up. She was curious to see this witch.

"Well where the hell is she?" She asked not seeing anyone other than munchkins.

No one said anything, only pointed. She followed their fingers to a big bubble coming towards them. Once the bubble floated close to the ground, it popped revealing a gorgeous blonde woman wearing a sparkly blue gown holding a snowflake wand. "What's wrong, my dears?" She asked.

They pointed to Corinne, still sitting on the ground. She walked over to her to ask her a few questions.

Corinne was first to speak though. "Are you supposed to scare me?" She asked almost laughing. "Because floating down in a bubble and looking like you're about to attend a royal ball would scare even the toughest of men." She said sarcastically.

Glinda shook her head as her blonde curls bounced back and forth. "I'm not here to scare you, dear. I'm here to protect the munchkins. They say you have dark magic."

Corinne stood up and wiped her hands on her tan pants. "That I do, but I am not here to harm anyone."

"What is your name and why are you here?" She asked with a puzzled look.

"Corinne. I already told them that I was just passing through and needed to rest." Corinne said aggravated.

"Then why did you attack them with magic?" She asked crossing her wand in front of her.

"They were getting all up in my space. They're like clingy little freaks." She said making a disgusting face as she looked at them.

Glinda ignored the remark against the munchkins. "Where are you headed?"

Corinne rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I'm going to pay a visit to the Wicked Witch of the West."

As soon as she said her name, everyone gasped. "Elphie." Glinda whispered in shock.

Corinne was close enough to hear what she whispered and decided to act on an impulse. "I'm going to kill her." She lied.

Whispers began swirling around the munchkins but Glinda tried to ignore them. Corinne saw her shift uncomfortably. "Is there something wrong, bubble lady?"

Glinda regain her composure and turned around to the munchkins. "The visitor, Corinne will be coming with me to discuss her further plan of taking down the Wicked Witch of the West. She is no threat to you but I will be taking her off your hands anyway. If there is nothing else, we shall be on our way." She waited a moment for any munchkin to speak up but all were silent.

Corinne tapped her on the shoulder causing Glinda to turn around. "I'm not coming with you." She whispered. Corinne couldn't object anymore because she was suddenly engulfed in a pink bubble with the blonde woman.

Corinne crossed her arms and arched her eyebrows. "Are you seriously kidnapping me right now? With a bubble?"

"I couldn't talk to you about this. Not in front of them anyway." Glinda said ignoring the young girl's attitude.

"Talk to me about what?" Corinne asked.

"About Elphie."

"That's the second time you said her name. "Who the hell is Elphie'?" Corinne asked, raising her voice.

The bubble popped around them, revealing a huge fancy bedroom. Corinne assumed it was Glinda's chambers. Glinda glided over to the huge window. "She was my friend." She answered as she stared out the window.

Corinne was waiting for more of an explanation but she didn't get any. "Is' Elphie' the Wicked Witch of the West's name?" She guessed and saw the blonde nod.

Corinne walked a little closer to the older woman, trying to understand this whole thing. "So let me get this straight, your friend became the Wicked Witch. Everyone wants her dead but you don't. You're still friends with her but no one knows."

The blonde nodded again without saying a word. "Don't let me guess the entire thing! Fill me in."

Glinda turned towards the young girl. "We went to school together, Elphie and I. She became my best friend."

"So what happened?" Corinne asked a little too eagerly than she should have.

"We met the wizard, although he wasn't a wizard at all." She said bitterly. "He was a liar. He said she could be anything she wanted to be only if she stood by him in his twisted schemes. He tried to manipulate her but she knew better. She was smart."

Corinne would be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued by her story. "And then she became the Wicked Witch?"

"Not right away." Glinda said taking a seat on her bed. Telling the story had stirred up many emotions for her. Corinne decided to take a seat next to her. Glinda seemed like a layed back person and only used magic when she absolutely had too and Corinne kinda felt safe around her although she didn't put her guard down completely.

"She's not wicked. She just wanted to help the animals but he turned everyone against her when she ran away with the Grimmerie and refused to help him." Glinda further explained.

"But if you believe she isn't wicked and you know what happened, why don't you set the record straight?" Corinne asked.

"It's not that simple." Glinda said looking at her for the first time since the bubble popped. "People see me as a public figure. I can't be associated with her."

"So you would let your reputation and what everyone else thinks get in the way of a friendship that you clearly want back?" Corinne stood up angry.

Glinda also stood up, towering over the young girl although Corinne didn't back down. "She and Fiyero broke my heart."

"Fiyero?"

"I loved him and for the longest time I thought he loved me too but he had always loved her." Glinda said sadly sitting back down.

Corinne knelt down in front of the blonde, grabbing her hands. "Well I'm sorry to hear that Glinda but I think you should try to mend your friendship with Elphie."

"I don't think she'll want to be friends again." Glinda said.

"But you won't know until you try." Corinne said offering a smile. "Why don't you come with me?"

"You want to kill her." Glinda said angrily.

"No, actually I don't. I just need to get something from her." Corinne said calmly.

"What do you want from her?" Glinda asked eyeing her suspiciously.

Corinne hesitated. "Well, it's a spell book of some sorts."

"The Grimmerie?"

"Yea, that's the one!" Corinne said standing back up.

"That's the book that started all of this!" Glinda yelled. "It's dangerous."

Corinne was growing tired of this emotional blonde. "Just come with me!"

"Fine, but I doubt you will get the book from her." They were engulfed in a big pink bubble once again on their way to the Wicked Witch's Castle.

They soon appeared in a dreary looking room that was covered in cobwebs and dirt.

"Where do you think she is?" Corinne asked.

"The tower." She answered.

"Well let's go!"

Glinda grabbed her arm. "She'll come to us. She knows we're here."

The door burst opened and there was the green woman dressed in all black. Corinne assumed this was the Wicked Witch.

"What are you doing here, Glinda?" The witch asked angrily still standing in the doorway.

"Elphie, I've come for many reasons. I want to amend our friendship and apologize." Glinda said sincerely.

"A likely story." Elphie said crossing her arms as she strolled into the room. "And who's your little friend?"

"She came for the Grimmerie, Elphie."

The witch laughed. "You think I would just hand it over to you, a child none the less."

"It's not for me. I'm retrieving for someone else as part of a deal." Corinne replied.

"You're form another land, aren't you?" Elphie asked.

"Yes. The Enchanted Forest."

"Did Glinda tell you about this book?"

"A little but it doesn't matter how dangerous it is. I need it." Corinne said almost desperately.

"It won't be any good to you or the person you are retrieving it for. It's written in an ancient language that only few know how to read." Elphie explained.

Corinne crossed her arms. "Well that's a minor setback."

"I will not give you the book. It had caused too many problems." Corinne put her head down trying to think of another way to get it. "But I will let you see it."

Corinne basically ran over to her in excitement. "Great!"

"But Elphie, I need to talk to you." Glinda begged.

"We can talk later, Glinda. I'm with the child right now." She said waving her off.

Glinda sat down in a dusty chair as Elphie led Corinne over to the Grimmerie.

"Wow." Corinne whispered when she looked at the ancient book. "I didn't think it would be that big."

"Oh yes. It's full of spells and enchantments." She said opening the book.

Corinne looked inside. "You know how to read this?"

"I only knew a few words at first but after studying it further I mastered the language."

Corinne looked at a random spell but for some reason she knew what it said. "There's a spell to change the weather?!"

"How do you know that?" Elphie asked.

"I read it. Right here." She said pointing to the middle of the page.

"You can read it?"

"Um, just a little." Corinne said hesitantly. She didn't want to tell her that she could understand the words plain as day.

Elphie grabbed hold of her shoulders. "Do you know what this means?"

Corinne looked slightly frightened. "No."

"You could do so much. You have magic, don't you?" Corinne nodded. "Would you like to stay here? I could teach you _so_ much."

Corinne thought about it for a moment. To be on the same side as the Wicked Witch meant she would be feared and she would have so much power. She would achieve more with her than she would with Rumple. "I would like to but I made a deal with Rumple and until I fulfill that debt, I can't leave."

"Just don't go back."

"He'll find a way to get to me. Trust me; you don't break deals with him." Corinne said.

"Very well." Elhpie said sadly.

"Elphie?" Glinda asked.

"What Glinda?" She asked frustrated.

"Your sister is here…with Boq."

"Nessa is here?" She asked shocked. "Why? How?"

"I don't know Elphaba! Just get out there!" Glinda yelled back.

The witch didn't say anything as she marched back into the room. "What are you doing here Nessa?"

"Is that anyway to greet your sister?" Nessa asked. Elphaba didn't say anything so Nessa continued. "I've come to tell you of fathers passing. I am now the governor of Munchkinland."

"Father's dead?" Elphaba asked in disbelief.

"Oh don't go soft on me now. He died a while ago. When he heard of the things you've done he died of shame." Nessa shot back.

"Glinda, I can't believe you're really here." Boq whispered grabbing her hand.

Glinda quickly pulled away. "What are you doing Boq?"

"Don't you see? I love you Glinda. I've loved you right from the start." Boq confessed grabbing her hands once more.

"What did you just say?" Nessa asked quickly turning around to catch them holding hands.

"Nessa, it's not like that." Glinda tried to explain but was interrupted by Boq. "Actually it is. I lost my heart to Glinda the moment I laid eyes on her."

"Lost your heart?" Nessa hissed taking a few steps closer to the pair. "You're going to lose your heart to me!"

Corinne could take this drama anymore. "If you want his heart so badly, then just take it!" She plunged her hand into Boq's chest and pulled out his heart. Boq groaned in pain as the women gasped. Corinne then crushed the heart into dust causing Boq to fall instantly to the ground.

"What have you done?" Glinda shrieked.

"She wanted his heart." Corinne said simply.

"I didn't want him dead!" Nessa yelled.

Elphaba quickly ran to get the Grimmerie. She flipped through the pages rapidly looking for a particular spell. Once she found it, she began reading the enchantment. Boq came back to life but he was not himself.

"Why does he look like that?" Glinda asked.

"It was the only way I can save him. He can live without his heart but only if he were a tin man." She explained.

Corinne had never seen someone come back to life and stood in shock and the man before her.

"Boq?" Nessa asked.

"Stay away from me! I don't want anything to do with any of you!" He yelled.

"This is both of your faults!" Nessa yelled at Glinda and Elphaba.

"How the hell is it my fault?" Glinda asked. "I was never in love with him."

"Aren't you the one that told Boq to ask Nessa out in the first place just to get him off your back?" Elphaba reminded.

"Well it's not my fault my beauty captivated him." Glinda said flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"It didn't captivate Fiyero, now did it?" Nessa said putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh shut up Nessa!" Glinda yelled.

"Don't tell my sister to shut up!" Elphaba shouted.

"Don't defend me, Elphaba! I don't need your help taking down _this_ ditzy blonde." Nessa said pointing to Glinda.

While they fought with each other, Corinne grabbed the Grimmerie and snuck out of the room before disappearing in a puff of purple smoke. She wanted to find out what happened to Fiyero but she knew she had to get out of there. She landed somewhere on the Yellow Brick Road. "Well that was easier than I thought." She said smiling as she continued walking towards the Emerald City.

* * *

**Storybrooke-Present Day**

Regina awoke in an empty bed. She figured her daughter was downstairs but when she saw only her mother in the kitchen she became a little worried.

"Mother, where's Miranda?" Regina asked.

"I haven't seen her since last night when she blew out the candles." Cora said before taking a sip of her tea.

"She should still be sleeping. I don't know where she is." Regina said.

"Calm down, Regina. She probably just met Jake somewhere."

"This early?" Regina said not accepting that as an excuse. A loud knock came from the door and they kept banging and banging until Regina answered the door.

"Where is she Regina?" Gold hissed walking into her house uninvited.

"What are you talking about Gold and nobody said you could come in." Regina said angrily slamming the door.

"Where's Miranda?" Gold yelled.

"What do you want with Miranda?" Cora asked coming from the kitchen.

"She stole something from me and I want it back."

"How do you know it was even her?" Regina asked crossing her arms.

"She is the only one who knows about it. I want it back. She completely trashed my shop." Gold barked.

Cora began circling Gold. "We can't help you if you won't tell us what it is she stole."

Gold wasn't going to tell them. "I'll find her myself." He said before storming out of her house.

"Mother, what do you think she stole?" Regina asked.

Cora thought for a moment. "I'm assuming it's something from another land that was very hard to retrieve. It has to be something rare, something very useful."

* * *

Mandy sat on the floor contemplating who she wanted to bring back to life. She studied the spell and was ready to enact the enchantment. She stood up and walked in between both coffins, placing a hand on each.

"I love you both very much but I can only bring one of you back." She whispered.

She turned to face Peter. "Peter, you will always be my first love and you will always be in my heart. I hope you understand that I have to bring my dad back. My mom is heartbroken without him and I just want her to be happy. I also hope you're not mad that I moved on with Jake. I really do love you Peter." She kissed the coffin before picking the Grimmerie back up and turning towards her father.

"I hope you're ready daddy." She started to chant the ancient words making the book glow brighter and brighter as she kept going. The room soon filled with the bright light and she suddenly felt a rush of energy go through her, knocking her to the ground. When she looked up, she noticed the bright light had faded and the glass coffin covering Daniel had broken into many pieces.

She heard groans coming from Daniel. She slowly got up and hesitantly whispered, "Daddy?" More groans were heard and then he sat up staring right at her.

"Miranda?" He asked unsure.

She nodded. "It's me, daddy."

He jumped off the slab he was laying on and ran over to his daughter, picking her up in a giant hug and swinging her around. She couldn't help but laugh as she was swinging through the air. He finally set her down to get a better look at her. "I told you we would be together again."

"You knew?" Mandy asked.

He nodded. "I couldn't tell you when or how, just that it would happen."

She couldn't help but shed a tear. "I can't believe it actually worked!" She exclaimed hugging her father. "I'm so happy you're here!"

"Me too, princess." He said hugging her tightly. "I have a message for you…from Peter."

"Really?" She asked looking up at him. "What did he say?"

"That he understands why you chose me and not him. He needed to stay with Noah and he is happy that you have moved on." Daniel said cupping his daughter's face in his hands.

Mandy nodded. "Thank you."

"Where's Regina?" He asked anxiously.

Mandy smiled seeing the eagerness in his eyes. "Her house…well our house. She's gonna be so happy to see you!"

He laughed. "Well lead the way."

**I hoped you liked the little Oz trip. I really liked writing this chapter so I hope you liked reading it! A lot of the Oz moments are based off of the musical Wicked if you didn't already know. I'm excited for the Daniel/Regina reunion! I hope to update again soon but I will be busy because school is starting in a few days. Let me know what you think :)**


	40. Chapter 40 A Family Reunited

Chapter 40: A Family Reunited

Mandy decided to take Daniel on the scenic route through Storybrooke pointing out different places here and there. He had no idea what some of things were in this world so Mandy was trying to help him understand. She finally led him up to the big white mansion on Mifflin Street.

"Mom doesn't know I brought you back so she's gonna be in shock." Mandy said before opening the door. She ran to check if anyone was in the living room before returning to Daniel in the foyer. "I want to surprise her so go wait in the living room until I tell you to come out." He nodded.

Once he was in the room she yelled for Regina. "MOM!"

Regina appeared at the top of the stairs in an instant. "Where have you been?" She asked angrily coming down the steps.

"I had some things to do." She replied meeting her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Like stealing from Gold?" She asked arching her eyebrows.

Mandy was surprised she knew about that. "But...how…"

"Gold came by enraged. He said you trashed his shop and stole something. He wants it back."

Mandy sighed. "I figured he would."

"What did you take?" Regina asked.

She picked the book off the floor and showed it to her. "The Grimmerie."

Regina looked at it in awe." How the hell did he get this?!"

"I stole it for him." Mandy answered.

"How?"

"Ya know, this isn't important right now. I stole it for a reason and I think you'll be happy." Mandy said smiling.

"Miranda, what are you talking about?" Regina asked growing frustrated with the lack of answers she was receiving.

"You can come out now." She yelled.

Regina heard footsteps behind her and quickly turned around. She was startled by the figure in front of her. "Daniel?" She whispered in shock.

He took a few steps closer to her but she took three steps back putting a protective arm in front of Miranda. "Regina, it's me." Daniel said.

"Mom, what are you doing? It's daddy!" Mandy said trying to push her towards him.

"Miranda, he's a monster." Regina said remembering the last time she encountered Daniel.

"No he's not! I brought him back. I've been with him the entire time and he has yet to do one aggressive thing. He's the Daniel you knew and loved." Mandy yelled.

Regina turned back to Daniel. She looked into his eyes searching for recognition that this was indeed the Daniel she knew and loved.

"Regina, please. I love you." Daniel whispered.

Regina saw it written all over his face. She began crying tears of joy; this was her Daniel. She ran forward straight into his arms, the same arms that held her when she was upset, when she was happy, and everything in between. She missed his loving touches and the way he smelled. He brushed her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear and caressed her face. She pulled his head down and kissed him. She couldn't wait anymore; she wanted Daniel's lips on hers. It was gentle, yet captivating at the same time. It was as if they had been transported back to the first time they kissed.

They didn't want it to end but were brought back to reality when they heard light sobbing. They looked over to Miranda, their daughter, the product of their love and saw her crying. "You guys are so cute together." She whispered wiping away her tears but they just kept coming.

Regina smiled and extended her arm inviting her into their loving embrace. "Come here, darling."

Mandy didn't have to be told twice. She ran straight over to them and squeezed in between her parents. She held on tight to both of them; her dream finally coming true-she had her family.

Daniel kissed Regina again over their daughter and then kissed the top of Mandy's head. "I finally have my girls with me."

"I've missed you so much, Daniel." Regina cried. "I'm so happy to have my family together, at last."

Daniel smiled. "You can thank our daughter for this reunion."

Regina looked down at her daughter's watery eyes and wiped away her tears. "She's amazing, Daniel, just like you." She said still looking into her daughter's eyes.

"I already know how wonderful she is." Daniel said also looking at their daughter. "And how beautiful she is, like her mother."

Mandy laughed. "Alright, you guys can stop now." She said pushing them a little further away from her.

They both smiled wickedly at each other before turning back to Mandy. "We're never going to stop showing you how much we love you!" Regina said before they both squeezed her into another hug between them.

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" Cora said standing behind the group.

Regina's eyes grew wide. "Mother." She whispered. She forgot all about Cora.

"How the hell is he here? I killed him." Cora said a little angrily.

Regina and Mandy instantly jumped in front of Daniel, not wanting a repeat of last time.

"I brought him back with the Grimmerie." Mandy said.

"Is that what you stole from Gold?" Mandy nodded. "You can read it?" Cora asked shocked.

"Yea, it's a gift I guess." Mandy said shrugging her shoulders as it were no big deal.

"Interesting." Cora said eyeing her granddaughter.

"Don't get any ideas, mother! She is returning that book to Gold." Regina said seeing the look on her mother's face.

"Why are you two in a defensive stance?" Cora asked. "I'm not going to kill him again."

"Better safe than sorry." Mandy said still in a defensive pose.

"Well now you get a second chance, Regina. Welcome back Daniel." Cora said smiling at him.

"Ugh, thanks Cora." Daniel said unsure how to respond to that exactly. She was the one to kill him after all.

"You can all be a cute little family that you all longed for." Cora said mockingly.

"Exactly! So don't ruin it again!" Mandy said angrily.

"Oh relax, Miranda!" Cora said rolling her eyes.

"Mother, I would feel better if you just stayed away from him from now on." Regina said.

Cora huffed. "Fine. I have my own man to satisfy anyway." She said sticking her nose in the air.

"Who is it?!" Mandy exclaimed. "We were supposed to find out who it was at the party but things got crazy."

"Is it King George?" Regina asked eagerly.

"Ew no." Cora said making a disgusted face. "If you must know, I am seeing the woodcarver."

"Wait, you mean Geppetto?" Regina asked confirming that it was him.

"Mmhm." Cora hummed. "He's great at making things out of wood…among other things."

"You slept with him?!" Mandy shouted in shock. "Ew gross!"

Regina sighed, also disgusted by her mother's bed partner. "You can go now, mother. You have officially put a mental picture in my head that will be there forever."

Cora laughed. "You would never think an old man like him could move but he really can give me pleasure and..."

"Mother!" Regina yelled stopping her from finishing her sentence. "That's enough! Now go!"

"I'm going, I'm going." Cora said walking towards the door. "to let him make me scream his name over and over again."

"Mother!" Regina yelled.

Cora only laughed as she walked out the door.

"I'm officially freaked out and I won't be able to look at Cora the same way again." Mandy said when a shiver ran down her back.

"You let your mother live with you…and our daughter?!" Daniel said.

"Well she's trying to change, Daniel. She doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore." Regina said trying to calm him down.

"How can you be sure?" He asked.

"because she has her heart back." Mandy said. "Just like you."

"Wait, how does he have his heart back?" Regina asked. She realized she had no idea how her daughter brought Daniel back.

"The spell I used was very powerful. I was able to restore his heart but only because I truly loved him with all of mine." She said smiling up at her father.

He grabbed her hand. "Thank you, princess. I love you too. You must be very powerful."

Mandy put her head down. She didn't want to tell him of the dark magic that seemed to consume her. Regina noticed the change in her daughter and walked over to her. She cupped her face in her hands to look into her eyes. "If dark magic completely took over, you wouldn't have been able to bring Daniel back. Don't worry; I think there is still plenty of pure magic within you." She whispered before kissing her forehead. Mandy smiled.

"Regina, let's go to our favorite spot!" Daniel said.

"I haven't been there in a while." Regina said taking his hand.

"Where's that at?" Mandy asked.

* * *

They arrived at the stables a half hour later. Daniel and Regina both tacked up their horses and led them out to the field.

"Where's your horse, Miranda?" Daniel asked.

"If you think I'm going to go horseback riding, you're crazy!" She said backing away from them.

"You've never been horseback riding before?!" Daniel asked.

Mandy shook her head. "No and I don't plan to start now."

"Someone's scared." Regina said smiling as she sat upon her horse.

"Damn right I'm scared." Mandy said crossing her arms. "There's no way I'm getting on that animal!"

"The horses won't hurt you, dear." Regina said trying to convince her to get on the horse. "At least pet one of them."

Mandy still looked scared. "Are you sure they won't like bite me or anything?"

"You'll be perfectly fine." Daniel assured her. Mandy slowly made her way over to Regina's horse for it was the closest to her. She reached out her hand and shut her eyes as she pet the horse. She opened her eyes when she realized the horse seemed to be enjoying it.

"See, it's not that bad." Regina said looking down at her.

"I guess not." Mandy said still petting the animal. Daniel looked to Regina to make sure she was thinking the same thing. She was.

He quickly lifted Mandy into the air. "What are you doing?" She asked worriedly. He placed her on the horse behind Regina. "I don't want to ride."

"You'll have fun, trust me." He said patting her leg before getting on his horse.

"Ready?" Regina asked to Daniel. "NO!" Mandy yelled. Regina kicked the horse lightly for it to start trotting. Mandy was holding onto Regina's waist.

"How are you doing Miranda?" Daniel asked.

"It's really high up." Mandy said looking down.

"You fly around town like it's no big deal and you're telling me this is scaring you?" Regina asked.

"Because I know I'm not gonna fall when I'm flying." Mandy countered.

"You're not going to fall now either. I won't let that happen." Regina assured her.

Before Mandy could protest, they took off in a gallop. Mandy screamed, shut her eyes tight and was clinging to Regina for dear life. Regina and Daniel couldn't stop laughing. Mandy peaked an eye open to see how fast they were going. She saw how beautiful the pastures around her were and opened her eyes completely. She realized it wasn't that bad but still clung to Regina. She began laughing as the wind blew her hair around and it felt like she was flying again, well almost.

* * *

By the time they got back from their ride it was around dinner time. Regina showered really quick and then came down to make dinner for her family while they took showers. Daniel raved at her cooking and the new dishes she learned how to make. He had a million questions for both of them but he really wanted to get to know his daughter better. Mandy told him about her time in Neverland, the adventures she had, and she even told him about her painful childhood. She felt better that Regina was there when she told him; she helped finishing her sentences when she had trouble.

After dinner, Mandy insisted that she clean up so her parents could spend some time with each other. She couldn't help but smile when she heard their laughter all the way from the kitchen. When she finished cleaning up she tried to sneak up to her room but was caught by Regina.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Just to my room." Mandy answered.

"We were waiting for you to watch a movie." Daniel said picking up the DVD. "It's a moving picture. How splendid is that!"

Mandy laughed. "People say 'cool' here dad."

"Cool." He repeated testing it out. "I like it."

Regina laughed playfully hitting his arm. "So are you going to join us?"

Mandy shifted as she twirled her hair. "Well I thought you two would want to spend more time together, just the two of you. You don't want me hanging around."

Daniel shook his head. "Nonsense. We want you with us."

"Don't you think we spent enough time separated from one another?" Regina asked her.

"I just wasn't sure…" Mandy started but was interrupted by Regina. "Go get changed. We'll wait for you."

Mandy ran up the stairs obeying her mother's command. She did want to spend time with both of her parents but she didn't want to overdo it too soon. She knew they wanted, needed to spend time alone together but they had made it clear that they wanted her there. When she came back down she only found Daniel sitting there.

"Where's mom?" She asked.

"She is making popcorn. She said to pick out a movie." He said.

"Okay, did she say what kind of movie she wanted to watch?"

He shook his head. "She doesn't care, and neither do I."

She scanned the DVDs on the self and picked the first Harry Potter film. "You'll like this one dad. Well, I'm hoping."

"I'm sure I will." He said flashing her a smile. She set up the DVD as Regina came back in with the popcorn and took a seat. "What did we decide?"

"Harry Potter. Is that okay?" Mandy asked.

Normally Regina would object, but she was too happy. She had her family together and that was good enough for her. "It's perfect." She patted the spot between her and Daniel, that's where she wanted her daughter to sit. As soon as she sat down, they moved closer to her but she didn't mind. She liked feeling their warmth; it meant she was safe and that she was loved.

"Did you like riding today?" Daniel asked once she was settled between them.

"No, it scared the crap out of me!" Mandy said.

"You were holding on so tight, I could hardly breathe." Regina said playfully.

"I'm sorry but I didn't want to fall." Mandy said.

"I heard you laughing. You seemed to enjoy it after a while." Daniel said wrapping his arm behind her.

Mandy didn't want to admit it but she did enjoy it but she was still scared to get on by herself. "Maybe a little."

"I knew it!" Daniel said before tickling her.

Mandy laughed trying to fight him off. "Stop. This. Isn't. funny. Mom. Help me!"

Regina did in fact help but it wasn't Mandy. She began tickling Mandy from the other side. "Help me, not him!" Mandy yelled but laughter overtook her voice. "We are missing the movie!"

They soon stopped and resumed watching the movie. Mandy explained things to Daniel that he didn't understand and he really seemed to like it. The movie was almost over when Regina noticed Mandy had fallen asleep on her shoulder.

"Daniel." She whispered and nodded to their sleeping child next to them.

"I got her." He picked her up and too her to her room followed my Regina.

He gently placed her in her bed and kissed her head. "Goodnight, princess." He whispered before walking over to the door to wait for Regina.

Regina tucked her in and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I love you angel. Sweet Dreams." She walked over to Daniel and noticed he couldn't stop staring at their daughter. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" She whispered.

"She really is. The more time I spend with her the more I see you when you were her age." Daniel whispered back.

"Really? I see you." Regina said hugging him as they watched their daughter sleep. "I love her so much, Daniel. I'm so happy you told her to stay with me. I'd be lost without her."

Daniel kissed her head. "I know you would. She's an amazing kid."

Regina nodded. "That she is." She quietly closed the door and went to bed for it had been an exhausting day.

* * *

Daniel snuck into Mandy's room the next morning before Regina woke.

He gently shook her awake. "Miranda, Miranda."

Mandy groaned not wanting to wake up. "Miranda, I need to talk to you." He whispered a little louder than before.

"So talk…I'm listening." She said keeping her eyes closed.

He took a seat on the edge of her bed. "I want to propose to your mother."

Mandy's eyes flew open and she sat up quickly." What?!" She said loudly.

"Shh!" he said holding his finger up to her mouth to silence her. "I don't want her to know."

"This is awesome! How are you going to do it?!" She asked eagerly trying to whisper.

"I wanted to make her a nice brunch and propose to her with the same ring I did in the stable back in the Enchanted Forest." He said.

Mandy clapped her hands together. "Oh that's perfect!"

"If you don't quiet down, she'll hear you. You know she's a light sleeper." He reminded her.

"Sorry." She whispered but still kept a smile on her face.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were wearing the ring. Did she give it to you?" He asked.

She clutched the ring around her neck. "Oh I forgot I had it. She gave it to me to remember you…" She took it off and handed it to him. "But I think you and mom will make better use of it."

"Thank you sweetie." He kissed her forehead. "Will you be here when I do it?"

"As much as I would like to be, I really think it should just be the two of you. " She patted his hand. "Besides, I have plans today."

He arched his eyebrows at her. "Oh you do, do you?"

She giggled. "Yea, I'm meeting Jake. We were supposed to hangout yesterday but I was with you and mom instead."

"I'm sorry we just whisked you away. We should've asked you if you had any plans." He said.

Mandy shook his head. "No don't be sorry. I loved every minute with you and mom yesterday. I wouldn't trade that memory for anything."

Daniel smiled. "Neither would I...but i want to meet this boy you're dating."

"You will. I promise but you should go get brunch ready; mom will be up before you know it." She said.

"You're right. Do you think you could do me a favor before you leave?" He asked.

Mandy nodded. "Of course!"

"Can you distract her until about 11am so I can get everything ready?"

Mandy smiled. "No problem. Just go wake her up like it's a normal day then I'll take it from there."

"You have that look your mother used to get when she had an idea. What are you planning?" He asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry about it, just go!" She said shooing him away.

He walked back into their room. He leaned down to give Regina a kiss. As soon as she felt his lips on hers, she woke up.

"Good morning." He smiled.

"Good morning indeed." She smiled back at him. "Did you sleep well?"

"How could I not when I slept next to the most beautiful woman in the world." He placed another kiss on her lips.

"Mom! Mom!" Mandy screamed running into the room.

"What's wrong?" She asked quickly.

"I need your help picking out an outfit for my date with Jake today!" She said hopping on the bed between her and Daniel.

"What do you need my help for? You picked out your outfits without my help before." Regina said.

Daniel thought she was going to get caught but he was shocked when his daughter found another excuse. "Because I haven't seen him since the party and we didn't leave things in the best of places. I just want to look perfect! I'm really nervous and I know you're like an amazing dresser and I could really use your help and…"

"Whoa Miranda, calm down honey." Regina said putting her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "Of course I'll help you."

Mandy leaped into her mother's arms and flung her arms around Regina's neck. "Thank you mommy! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Regina was surprised by the sudden hug. She looked at Daniel confused but he only shrugged his shoulders. His daughter seemed to be quite the little actress. Mandy grabbed Regina's hand pulling her to her feet. "Come on mom! We can't waste any more time." She pushed her out of the room and did a quick wink back to her father. This was his chance to do something special for Regina.

**I hoped you liked the reunion between Daniel and Regina. I had so many feels writing that. I couldn't stop smiling. I just wanted to give one chapter to just the three of them spending time together, hope you don't mind. Let me know what you think:) Reviews keep me going!**


	41. Chapter 41 Learning a Lesson

Chapter 41: Learning a Lesson

Mandy kept Regina busy all morning trying on different outfits with different hairdos and makeup styles. It gave Daniel plenty of time to prepare a lovely meal for the love of his life. Once Regina got Mandy out of the house, she got herself dressed and headed downstairs to join Daniel.

"Finally done I see." He said when he saw her coming down the stairs.

"Yes. Thank heavens! I swear she tried on everything in her closet. She wanted to try mine on but I told her she was too young for my wardrobe." She chuckled.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm sure should looked fabulous in whatever you chose for her."

"She looked great in everything she put on. I don't see why she needed my help."

He smiled. "I bet all that dress up has made you hungry. I made us something to eat."

Her eyes grew wide in shock. "You cooked?"

He nodded and led her to the dining room where he had a whole bunch of her favorite meals laid out on the table. "Oh Daniel, this looks absolutely amazing! How on earth did you learn how to cook all of this?"

He pulled out a chair for her to sit in. "I used your cook book. I knew you had one because that meal last night was delicious."

"Well thank you, Daniel. I can't wait to eat!" She said smiling.

"Go right ahead!"

They ate their meal as they chatted about the past and the good times they used to have while riding. When they finished their meal, Regina was about to clean up but Daniel pulled her back down.

"There's something else I have to ask you."

"Ask away." She said adjusting her position.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He got down on one knee and looked up at her. Her eyes already watering. "Regina, I know things didn't work out well the first time around but I will never give up on trying to marry you. So will you make me the happiest person in the world and marry me?"

Regina covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn't believe he was proposing again especially with the same ring as the first time. She nodded vigorously for no words were coming out. He slipped the ring on her finger and stood up pulling her with him. He picked her up and spun her around before placing a kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Daniel." She whispered. "I love you too, Regina."

"Wait a minute. Did Miranda know about this?" She asked.

He nodded. "She helped me distract you so I could prepare all of this without you interrupting."

Regina smirked. "That little trickster. Remind me to thank her when she gets home."

* * *

Mandy was meeting Jake by the docks. She saw him sitting on the edge and sat down next to him.

"Hey stranger!" She said cheerfully.

"Finally!" He said kissing her.

"I didn't think you missed me that much." She playfully hit his arm.

He laughed. "I asked you to be my girlfriend and then 5 minutes later you don't even know who I am."

"That reminds me. I have to kill Henry." She joked.

"You know, you were a cute little kid."

"So I've been told. My mom took a ton of pictures." She said rolling her eyes.

"Good. I can't wait to see them."

"Who said you were going to see them?"

"If you won't let me see them willingly, I'll just have to find another way then." He said smiling as he stared off into the ocean.

"I don't doubt that." She also looked out to the ocean. "Besides, I'm sure my mom would gladly show you."

"So what happened yesterday?" He asked looking back at her. "You never said why you couldn't meet only that you were busy."

"Oh right!" She exclaimed. "I brought my dad back…like from the dead!"

"He's a zombie?!" He looked scared and shocked.

She laughed. "No. I used a spell to restore his heart. Now he and my mom can finally be together, like it was meant to be."

"I'm so happy for you and your family! I bet your mom was thrilled." He said wrapping his arm around her.

She rested her head on his shoulder. "She really was. I've never seen two put look at each other with so much love in their eyes like they did when they first embraced."

He looked down at her and smirked. "Did you cry?" He asked knowing the answer.

She hit his leg. "Shut up!"

He laughed. "I hope your mom and my mom hang out more. My mom couldn't stop smiling after she talked to Regina at the party."

"I'm sure they will." She said reassuring him. "Since you're a Prince and all, does that mean you know how to ride?"

"Yea, I've had riding lessons since I was 3. Why do you ask?"

She lifted her head to look at him. "My parents love riding, that's kinda how they met actually. They took me riding for the first time yesterday and I was scared out of my mind. It's something they love to do and I know they want me to love it too so I was wondering if you could teach me?"

"Sure, no problem but I'm sure they'll understand if you don't enjoy it. Riding isn't for everyone." He said.

She stood up. "Well I wanna try."

He got to his feet as well. "Alright, let's go."

"This is not an appropriate outfit for riding. I have to go change…" He rolled his eyes. "And I wanna see how the proposal went."

"Proposal?" He questioned.

"My dad was going to propose to my mom today." She said happily as she began to walk.

"Can't wait for the wedding!" He linked his arm with hers. "Neither can I."

Mandy and Jake both walked into her house and saw nobody around. "MOM? DAD?" She screamed with no response. "CORA?" She tried. Nothing.

"Maybe they're already out planning the wedding?" Jake suggested.

"I suppose. I'm gonna run upstairs and get changed. Make yourself at home." She said motioning towards the living room before running up the stairs.

She was about to go into her room when she noticed Regina's door was shut. _Maybe she didn't hear me. _She made her way down to her mother's room. She was dying to know how the proposal went. She opened the door and was not prepared for what she saw.

Her eyes grew wide. "Oh my god!" She couldn't believe what she was seeing, let alone hearing. _How could I have not heard this __**before**__ I opened the door!_

"Miranda!" Regina screamed as she pulled the covers up over her and Daniel's naked bodies.

Miranda closed her eyes and began fumbling her words. "Ugh…sorry…should've …um…knocked….oh my god." She quickly shut the door behind her and ran straight down the stairs.

"Jake!" She screamed coming down the stairs.

"What's wrong?" He asked coming out of the living room. "You looked like you've seen a ghost."

"I would take the ghost over what I just saw." She said the image burned into her mind.

"What happened?" He asked.

"We need to get out of here." She said pulling him towards the door.

"I thought you were getting changed?"

"This outfit will have to do." She said closing the door behind her. She started running towards the stables.

He took off after her, not expecting her to take off in a full on sprint. He finally caught up to her and grabbed her arm and made her stop. "Would you tell me what's going on?"

"I saw them." She said shaking her head trying to erase the memory. "They were having sex."

"Your parents?" He asked furrowing his eye brows. She nodded and he laughed. "Oh my god."

"Yea, that's all I could say."

"That sucks but it's hilarious!" He said not able to hold his laughter back.

"It's disturbing!" He laughed harder. She started to giggle herself. "I can't believe that just happened."

"Come on! Let's get you on that horse. Maybe it'll take your mind off of recent events." He suggested.

She grabbed his hand. "I highly doubt that."

* * *

Jake finally managed to get Mandy on the horse after twenty minutes of convincing her that the horse would not move unless she told him to. Mandy was sitting on the horse, well more like hugging the horse as Jake tried to coach her through it.

"Miranda, you have to sit straight up. You can't ride if you're huggin the horse." He said from the ground.

"Ya know, I think I changed my mind. I don't want to ride anymore. Get me down." She commanded.

He shook his head. "If you want to get down so badly, then you can do it yourself."

"But Jake, it's really high up." She argued.

"If you at least try riding and still want to get down, I will help you." He said trying to make a deal with her.

She glared at him. "Fine."

He smiled for his victory. "Good. Now sit up and hold the reins."

She slowly sat up and grasped the reins firmly in her hand. "Now what?"

"Stop being scared."

"Yea, I don't see that happening."

"Well calm down a little bit. The horse can feel your tension." He said crossing his arms. "Just take a few deep breaths.

She listened to him and relaxed slightly. "You remember how to steer right?"

"Yes, you showed before I even got on the horse." She said rolling her eyes.

"I'm just making sure." He said putting his hands up in defense. "Now lightly kick the horse and he will begin to walk."

She did as she was told and the crème colored horse did in fact start walking. "Hey, look at me! I'm horseback riding!"

"Well, technically you're only walking." He pointed out.

"Still counts!" She said turning the horse.

He laughed. "Alright, I'll give it to you." He let her walk around for a few minutes before he spoke again. "You seem comfortable on Castor."

"I am. I think he likes me." She said petting the horse.

"Would you like to try trotting?" He asked hoping she felt comfortable enough to move on to the next level.

Mandy's face froze. "Are you sure I'm ready for that?"

"Only you can tell when you are ready. If you don't want to, you don't have to do it today. You've made great progress so far." He said trying to encourage her.

"Did you trot the first time you were on a horse?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes, but that was different. I had to learn fast. You can take your time. There's absolutely no rush."

She tried to sound confident. "If you can do it at three years old, I think I can handle it at 16."

"I don't doubt you can." He said smiling up at her. "As long as you believe in yourself, you can do anything you set your mind too. That doesn't just apply to horseback riding."

Mandy loved that he believed in her. She looked into his sparkling blue eyes and found the confidence she needed to move on to the next level. She couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks Jake. You're a big help."

"No problem. If you want to try trotting just kick your horse twice and try not to tense up." He instructed.

She was hesitant at first but she did it. She was surprised by the difference between walking and trotting. She didn't realize she would be bouncing so much. "Is this right?"

"Don't squeeze your legs so tight!"

"I'm gonna fall off if I don't!" She yelled.

"You're so dramatic!" He said playfully as he rolled his eyes. "You're not gonna fall. Relax, Miranda!"

"I swear if I fall off, I'm gonna hurt you!" She warned.

"If you fall you can beat me up. How's that sound?"

"GOOD!" She said as she kept trotting. After a few more minutes she was becoming anxious. "Alright, I'm getting a little scared. How do I make him stop?"

"Just pull back on the reins." She did and sure enough, he stopped. Jake helped her down and gave her a big hug. "You were awesome! I didn't think you would last that long."

Mandy hugged him back. She was happy to have her feet back on the ground. "Honestly, neither did I."

"We should start heading home. It's going to be dark soon." He said looking at the setting sun.

"I'm really not looking forward to going home. My mom's gonna wanna talk to me about it, I just know it." She said remembering what happened earlier.

"Wait they saw you?" She nodded. "That makes the whole thing even funnier!"

She playfully shoved him. "You're enjoying this way too much. Don't you have to take care of this horse?"

He laughed. "You're going to help me."

* * *

Jake tried teaching Mandy what some of the terms were that went along with horses. He also taught her to properly remove tack from a horse. By the time they finished all that, the sun had set and it was late by the time he walked her up to front porch and kissed her goodnight. She opened and shut the door as quietly as she could. She just wanted to get a shower and go to bed without anyone seeing her.

She successfully made it up the stairs and went straight into the bathroom. She took a quick hot shower and didn't want to risk running into anyone in the hall especially in her towel so she just poofed herself into her room.

"Look who finally came home." Regina said sitting on her bed in the dark.

Mandy screamed and jumped at the sudden voice. She quickly turned on the light and saw her mom. "Oh my god, you scared me!" She said trying to catch her breath.

"You've been avoiding me. You haven't answered any of my calls or texts."

She shook her head. "No, I've just been busy. That's all. My phone died anyway." She lied.

"We need to talk about what you saw earlier." Regina said patting the spot next to her on the bed.

"No, we _really_ don't!"

Regina stood. "You weren't supposed to be home."

"Yea, I know. Totally my fault…and I _definitely_ should've knocked. Great talk! Bye!" She said trying to get out of this awkward conversation as quickly as she could. She started rummaging through her drawers for her pajamas.

Regina magicked her pajamas on her so she could move on with the conversation. "Come here and sit, please." She said more firmly.

Mandy had no way out now. She took a seat next to her mother and sighed. "There's really nothing to talk about…you two are both grown-ups, you love each other and you haven't seen one another in a very long time. I'm surprised you waited a whole day to jump into bed together."

"You're right, there's nothing to talk about." Regina realized this was super awkward for both of them. "Are you scarred for life?"

Mandy nodded. "Yea, pretty much."

Regina put her face in her hands. "I am so embarrassed."

"You're embarrassed?! You're not the one who saw her parents having sex!" She flopped back onto the bed.

"Just knowing you saw us, is making crazy." Regina said lying down next to her.

"Now you know how I feel." Mandy sighed. "At least it sounded like you were enjoying it."

Regina sat up quickly. "Miranda!"

"What?" She laughed. "It's true."

Regina's face turned red. "We aren't talking about this anymore."

Mandy closed her eyes. "I never wanted to in the first place. You're the one that kept on insisting."

"I just wanted to make sure you were handling it well."

"As best I can." Mandy sighed. "Can I change the topic?"

"Yes, please!" Regina said lying back down next to her daughter.

"How did dad propose? Was the food okay?" She asked eagerly propping her head up with her hand.

"The food was great! He got down on one knee and pulled out the ring he gave me the first time. I'm assuming you gave it to him?" She asked arching her eyebrows.

"Yea, he came to me this morning and told me his plan. That's why I had to distract you; sorry about that but it was for a good reason."

Regina laughed. "You're forgiven."

"Get on with the story." She urged.

"Well, when he asked me I wanted to say yes but no words came out. I just nodded like crazy and hugged him tight."

"That's too freakin cute! I bet I know what happened next…" She said referring to her parents' time in the bedroom.

Regina playfully nudged her. "And what exactly did you do today?"

She originally wanted to keep her horseback riding lessons a secret but changed her mind. She wanted to tell Regina really bad. "I made Jake teach me how to ride."

"You got on a horse? By yourself?" Regina asked shocked.

Mandy nodded. "I was scared at first but Jake helped me through it. I even learned how to take care of the horse and all the names for different things…there's a lot ya know." She said sitting up.

Regina nodded with a huge grin on her face as she sat up also. "Indeed I do."

"We walked most of the time, and I tried trotting at the end but that was it." She said kinda disappointed in herself.

Regina rubbed her arm. "Hey, that's great for your first lesson. It's better to take things slow and get used to your horse."

"I guess." She said looking down as she played with her thumbs.

"Why are you suddenly interested in riding lessons?" She asked, questioning her daughter's motives.

"I wanted to learn about something you and dad are both passionate about." She held her knees to her chest. "When we went horseback riding yesterday, I had no idea what you guys were talking about half the time. I just wanted to feel closer to you two." She admitted.

Regina wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close. "Hey, you'll always be close to us…whether you like it or not. Just because we like doing something doesn't mean you have to."

"I know, I just wanted to make you both proud." She said looking anywhere but Regina.

"Whatever you do, your father and I will be proud of you." She guided Mandy's head to rest on her shoulder. "I know how much courage it took for you to get on that horse today. You've definitely proven how much you love your father and me."

Mandy wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and nestled closer to her smelling her perfume. "I really do love you. Both of you."

"I know, angel." She kissed her head. "You don't have to take anymore riding lessons if you don't want to."

"Oh no. Once I start something I don't stop until I master it. I'm going to learn how to horseback ride even if it kills me!"

Regina smiled. "That's my girl. I can even help you."

"No I don't want you or daddy seeing me while I suck. Jake will teach me and then when I'm better I'll go riding with you."

"Honey, I don't care how bad you are…" Regina started but was interrupted by Mandy. "I made up my mind. You can't change it." She kissed her cheek. "Night mom."

"I guess that's my cue to leave." She kissed her head once last time before she got up. "Good night, dear."

* * *

Regina woke Mandy up the next morning and told her they would be going to Granny's for breakfast to meet Emma, Snow, David and Henry. Henry had called and begged them to come. Regina thought it would be a great opportunity to show Daniel around and let him meet new people.

They arrived at Granny's and were waved over to the table the Charming's occupied. Snow's eyes grew wide when she saw Daniel.

"Morning everyone." Regina said.

"Morning mom!" Henry ran over and gave her a hug.

"Don't tell me we have another kid I didn't know about." Daniel whispered in her ear.

"No dear. I adopted Henry. Emma is his birth mother." She said pointing to the blonde sitting in the booth. "She's Snow's daughter."

Daniel looked at Snow. "Wow, you sure grew up! You were just a little girl the last time I saw you."

"How…." Was all Snow could say.

"Regina, is this the man in the stables that almost killed Henry?" David asked concerned.

"No! Well technically yes, but he's not a monster anymore." She said.

"Wait, this is Daniel? Your dead fiancé?" Emma asked shocked.

"He's not dead anymore." Mandy replied.

"Is he like a zombie?! Cuz that would be kinda cool." Henry said looking Daniel over.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Henry but I'm not a zombie." Daniel said lightly tapping the kid's shoulder. "And I'm sorry for almost killing you last time."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's cool."

"Can we sit down?" Mandy asked seeing everyone was still in awe over Daniel being back.

"Oh, yea sure." Emma said scooting over for them.

"Snow, why do you keep staring at him?" Regina asked from across the table.

She snapped out of it. "I just…never thought I'd see him again."

"That makes two of us." Regina said looking at Daniel.

"Did you know they're gonna get married?!" Mandy exclaimed.

"That's great, Regina." Emma said genuinely. "When is the wedding?"

"Next Saturday."

"That's awfully soon." David said.

"We've been waiting forever. We just want to make sure it happens this time." Daniel answered.

"Can I be in the wedding?" Henry asked.

"Of course Henry. You can be the ring bearer." Regina said. "We are having something small in my backyard. I know people are still angry with me so I thought it be best just to keep things low key."

"Makes sense." Emma said. "Are we invited?"

"Yes, but you don't have to come if you don't want to." Regina answered.

"We'll be there!" Henry answered for them all.

"How is Cora with Daniel?" David asked.

"She actually hasn't been around that much. I think she's been staying over Geppetto's." Mandy answered. "I don't think she's too thrilled but she's just going to have to get over it."

David almost choked on his orange juice. "Cora's sleeping with Geppetto?"

"Are you kidding me?" Emma freaked out.

"I'm afraid not." Regina answered. "It's pretty disturbing; I try not to think about it."

"No wonder." David said still trying to recover from choking.

They ordered their food and chit chatted like they were one big happy family. They asked Daniel a ton of questions which he returned with many of his own. As they got deeper in conversation, David and Daniel realized they had a few interests in common. It was weird at first but seemed to feel right, like it was supposed to be that way.

Mandy, Regina and Daniel got up to leave and told them they would keep them updated on the wedding details.

Snow grabbed Regina's arm. "Regina, can I talk to you."

Mandy and Daniel looked at Regina curiously. "Go on. I'll be out in a moment." She said shooing them out the door. "What is it Snow?"

"Are we okay? Like our relationship?" She asked.

"I wouldn't call what we have a relationship." She answered. "Daniel might be back and I couldn't be happier but he wouldn't have died in the first place if it weren't for you."

Snow just stared at her in silence. "I'm trying to forgive you, Snow but it doesn't happen overnight."

Snow nodded. "I know. I just want things to get back to when we first met."

Regina took a deep breath. "I don't think things will ever go back to that time. They might improve, but I doubt it will be the same….If there's nothing else you wish to discuss, my family is waiting for me."

"Right, of course. Sorry to waste your time." Snow said making her way back to her family at the table.

**I honestly don't know about that last part. It kinda just happened…this whole chapter kinda just happened. I got stuck but hopefully I will be back on track soon.**


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